KINCORA 


A    DRAMA    IN    THREE    ACTS 


Br 

LADY  GREGORY 


NEW       YORK 
Published  by 

JOHN       QUINN 

1905 


FIFTY  COPIES  OF  THIS 
EDITION  HAVE  BEEN 
PRINTED,  OF  WHICH 
THIS   IS   NO.  3  5^ 


KINCORA 


A    DRAMA    IN    THREE    ACTS 


Br 

LADY  GREGORY 


NEW      YORK 

Published  by 
JOHN       QUINN 

1905 


copyright,   1905* 
By  Lady  Gregory. 
All  rights  reserved. 


KINCORA 


KINCORA 


Persons 

Brian,  King  of  Munster. 

Malachi,  High  King  of  Ireland. 

Maelmora,  King  of  Leinster. 

GoRMLEiTH,  wife  to  the  High  King,  sister  of  Alaelmora, 

mother  of   Sitric. 

MuRROUGH,  Brian's  son. 

SiTRic,  leader  of  the  Danes. 

Brennain,     i 

„  c  servants   to  Brian. 

Derrick,        ) 

RuRY,  servant  to  Malachi. 

Phelan,  servant  to  Maelmora. 

Maire,  daughter  to   Brennain. 

Brodar. 

A  Dane. 

AoiBHELL,  a  spirit. 


PROLOGUE 


PROLOGUE 

Scene — A  zvood.  Brian  seen  lying  asleep  on  the  ground.  En- 
ter two  men  zmth  swords,  their  cloaks  zvrapped  round  their 
heads. 

First  Man.— Are  you  here,  Brian?  Here  he  is  sleeping.  We 
should  waken  him  now,  but  he  has  the  look  of  being  very  tired. 

Second  Man. — Tired  and  worn  out,  and  no  wonder — a  young 
lad  that  was  used  to  lie  on  the  pillars  of  a  king's  house,  to  be 
laying  his  head  on  the  hard  knotty  roots  of  trees. 

First  Man.— Fighting  with  the  Danes  through  the  daytime 
and  resting  on  the  ground  by  night;  or  fighting  through  the 
night  time  when  he  failed  to  harm  them  in  the  day.  And  not 
one  of  his  own  with  him  to  give  him  a  hand.  It  is  a  lonesome 
life  he  has. 

Second  Man. — He  will  be  more  lonesome  again  after  a  while, 
when  the  whole  of  us  are  killed.  What  way  can  a  score  of 
men  drive  a  whole  army  out  of  Ireland? 

First  Man. — If  anyone  can  do  it  he  will  do  it.  Leave  him 
there;  we  need  not  waken  him  till  the  rising  of  the  sun.  He 
will  be  tired  enough  before  the  day  is  over. 

(They  go  out.     Aoibhcll  appears.) 

AoiBHELL. — Awake,  young  Brian !  Brian,  son  of  Cennedigh, 
awake ! 

Brian. — Who  is  calling  me?  Are  the  enemy  coming?  Is  it 
time  for  the  fight? 

AoiBHELL. — I  do  not  call  you  to  battle,  but  to  peace. 

Brian. — Who  are  you?     Where  do  you  come  from? 

AoiBHELL. — I  am  Aoibhell  of  the  Grey  Rock,  the  helper  of 
your  race.     I   am  come  to  bid  you  give  up  the   sweetheart  you 


have  chosen,  that  hard  sweetheart,  Ireland.  Come  to  me  in 
place  of  her  and  I  will  bring  you  into  the  hidden  houses  of  the 
hills.  I  will  give  you  love ;  age  will  never  fall  on  you  as  it 
has  fallen  upon  me. 

Brian. — I  will  not  go  with  you ;  I  will  not  give  up  Ireland. 
For  it  is  a  habit  of  my  race  to  fight  and  to  d(ie,  but  it  never 
was  their  habit  to  see  shame  or  oppression  put  on  their  coun- 
try by  any  man  on  earth. 

AoiBHELL. — Those  that  serve  Ireland  take  for  their  lot  lasting 
battles,  lasting  quarrels.  They  are  building  and  ever  building, 
and  ever  and  always  ruin  conies  upon  them  before  the  house 
is  built.  Those  that  should  be  most  their  friends  turn  to  he 
most  their  enemies,  till  the  heart  grows  dry  with  bitterness,  dry 
as  the  heads  of  the  mountains  under  the  summer  heat.  Come 
to  me  and  leave  her,  Brian,  young  Brian. 

Brian. — Go  from  me,  Aoibhell !  Go  back  to  your  hidden 
house !  I  will  never  break  my  faith  with  the  sweetheart  T 
have  chosen  nor  turn  from  her  service  till  she  can  lift  up  her 
head  in  the  sight  of  the  whole  world ! 

Curtain 


ACT  I 


KINCORA 

BEFORE  GLENMAMA 
ACT    I 

Scene — A  hall  in  Brian's  house  at  Kincora.  Malachi  and 
Maelmora  at  a  table;  their  servants  standing  behind  their  chairs. 
Brian's  servants  behind  his  empty  chair.  Brian  at  the  zvindow, 
looking  out,  with  back  to  audience.  Murrough  looking  on. 
Maire  working  at  an  embroidery  frame. 

Maelmora  (giving  a  paper  to  Malachi). — See,  I  have  written 
it  all  here,  High  King.  (Reads)  Submission  made  by  Sitric, 
head  of  the  Danes,  for  himself  and  the  whole  of  his  army — 

Malachi. — I  know,  I  know;  let  him  read  it  himself  when  he 
comes.     It  is  time  for  him  to  be  here  to  put  his  name  to  it. 

Maelmora. — He  will  be  here  before  the  fall  of  day. 

Malachl — This  is  a  great  work  we  have  done  this  day;  and 
though  I  am  High  King,  it  is  the  man  in  the  window  that  has 
done  it.  '  The  Danes  binding  themselves  to  quit  the  country,  and 
Brian  and  myself  and  yourself,  Maelmora,  at  peace  with  one 
another. 

Maelmora. — It  was  time,  indeed,  for  peace.  The  whole  of 
my  own  province  of  Leinster  is  wracked  and  destroyed  with 
the    war. 

Malachi. — The  rest  of  Ireland  is  no  better.  Fighting  against 
the  Gall  from  morning  to  night,  and  from  night  to  morning 
making  attacks  on  one  another. 

Brian  (coming  to  the  table  and  laying  his  hand  (  i  it).     I  do 

13 


KINCORA 

not  see  Sitric  coming.  I  am  impatient  for  this  submission  to  be 
signed. 

Malachi. — He  cannot  be  far  off  now,  Brian. 

Brian. — I  cannot  be  sure,  until  he  has  put  his  name  to  it, 
that  peace  has  come  at  last. 

Malachi. — No  one  would  think  that  so  good  a  fighter  as  you, 
Brian,  had  his  mind  so  much  set  on  peace. 

Brian. — My  fathers  were  fighters,  and  I  have  followed  their 
trade ;  Lugaidh,  son  of  Aengus ;  Cathal,  son  of  Aedh ;  Core, 
son  of  Anluan;  Lorcan,  son  of  Luchta;  Cennedigh,  son  of 
Lorcan;  they  lived  and  died  fighting  in  defence  of  their  own 
home  and  of  Munster.  It  is  time  now  for  the  race  of  Lugaidh 
to  turn   from  war  to   peace. 

Malachi. — You  can  do  as  you  will.  No  man  that  ever  saw 
you  in  battle  will  say  you  turned  from  war  through  any  fear 
or  slackness,  for  fear  is  a  thing  that  never  came  into  the  one 
house  with  you. 

Brian — I  fought  for  Ireland  when  young  boys  of  my  age  were 
at  the  hurling.  I  have  done  for  her  all  that  war  can  do.  It 
is  peace  she  is  in  want  of  now,  to  see  her  young  men  at  the 
sickle  in  place  of  girls,  and  her  strong  men  breaking  the  wild 
ground  for  seed.  Fighting,  fighting  from  Samhain  to  harvest — 
no  time,  no  time  for  any  other  thing.  I  would  have  time  now 
to  forgive  my  enemies,  and  to  make  my  peace  with  God. 

Malachl — There  was  a  good  saint  spoiled  in  you,  Brian, 
when  you   took  to  the  sword  instead  of  the  crozier. 

Murrough. — It  might  have  been  better  for  yourself,  Malachi, 
if  my  father  had  never  meddled  with  a  sword. 

Malachi. — Listen  to  the  crowing  of  the  young  cock !  We  are 
done  with  all  that  now,  Murrough.  Springtime  is  come ;  and 
the  daws  are  mated  to-day  that  were  pecking  at  one  another 
yesterday.  Brian  (turning  tozvards  the  window).  My  mind 
will  not  be  at  rest  till  Sitric  comes. 

Maelmora. — I  have  answered  for  my  nephew  Sitric.  He  gives 
in  altogether. 

14 


KINCORA 

Malachi. — He  was  forced  to  give  in  when  you  took  away 
the  help  of  Leinster  from  him. 

Maelmora. — I  will  go  out  by  the  Hill  of  the  Grey  Rock  to 
meet  him  if  he  is  coming  by  that  road.  I  promised  him  a  good 
welcome  from  3^ou,   Brian. 

Brian. — You  were  right  in  that.  Go,  Murrough,  with  Mael- 
mora. I  myself  will  go  towards  the  weir;  he  may  be  coming 
from  the  south. 

Malachi. — I  will  go  with  you,  Brian.  We  can  be  looking 
at  the  colts  in  the  river-meadows  as  we  go. 

Brian  (to  servants). — Make  the  table  ready,  Brennain.  When 
Sitric  comes,  we  have  but  to  sign  the  peace  and  to  sit  down 
to  supper. 

(Brian  and  Murrough  go  out.  Malachi  is  follozving  them, 
zvhen  Maelmora  stops  him.) 

Maelmora. — Where   is   my  sister  Gormleith? 

Malachi. — She  is  far  enough  away,  at  home. 

Maelmora. — Did  you  ask  her  to  come  with  you? 

Malachi. — Did  I  ask  a  swarm  of  bees  to  come  into  the  house 
to  help  to  make  the  peace? 

Maelmora, — She  might  like  this  peace  for  her  son  Sitric's 
sake. 

Malachi. — Believe  me,   we  are  best   without  her. 

Maelmora. — That  may  be.     She  has  a  wild  heart  yet. 

(He  and  Malachi  go  out.  Servants  come  foiivard.  Maire 
goes  to  the  window  and  stands  looking  after  the  kings.) 

Derrick. — Malachi  the  High  King,  king  of  the  whole  North ! 
Brian,  king  of  the  whole  South !  Meddling  with  one  another 
no  more  than  the  white  and  the  yolk  of  an  egg !  Peace  as  sound 
and  as  round  as  the  eggshell  itself!  Peace  forever  in  Ireland 
and  in  Kincora! 

Brennain. — If  you  were  not  a  poet,  Derrick,  I  would  say  you 
were  a  fool. 

Phelan. — Why   would  you  call   Derrick  a   fool? 

Brennain. — For    thinking,    Phelan,    that    w^ords    can    stop    an 

15 


eggshell  from  being  cracked  or  a  peace  from  being  broken.  If 
truces  and  agreements  are  eggs,  it  is  my  belief  tliere  is  some 
clucking  hen,  some  mother  of  mischief,  always  at  roost  over- 
head in  Ireland  that  will  pitch  on  them  and  hatch  them  till  they 
are  pecked  to  pieces  by  their  own  young  ones  from  within. 
Here,  Maire,  give  me  the  plates.  (She  gives  them  and  he 
begins  putting  them  on  the  table.)  Peaces  and  treaties!  I  would 
make  no  treaty  with  the  Gall,  but  to  strike  their  head  off! 

Derrick  (taking  parchment,  ink,  etc.,  from  table). — You  are 
always  ready  to  put  ridicule  on  what  I  saj^  Brennain.  But 
I  know  well,  whatever  may  have  happened  at  other  times,  this 
peace  will  never  be  broken.     Who  is  there  to  break  it? 

RuRY. — The  Danes  will  not  break  it,  anyway,  and  they  as  they 
are,  not  daring  to  let  a  squeak  out  of  them.  Keeping  their 
heads  under  water  they  are,  like  a  hunted  otter  in  a  stream. 

Phelan. — Whoever  breaks  the  peace  it  will  not  be  my  own 
master,  Maelmora.  Now  the  Danes  are  beaten,  he  has  no 
mind  to  be  beaten  along  with  them,  and  in  my  opinion  he  is 
right. 

RuRY. — Whoever  may  break  it,  it  will  not  be  my  master,  Mala- 
chi.  He  has  fought  through  the  whole  of  his  life.  He  should 
have  time  now  to  train  his  three-year-olds,  and  to  mind  Gorm- 
leith,  his  wife. 

Derrick. — Whoever  starts  a  new  war,  it  will  not  be  Brian, 

RuRY. — I  suppose  not.  It  is  time  for  him  to  make  his  soul, 
after  fighting  like  Malachi  through  the  whole  of  his  lifetime. 

Derrick. — The   whole   country  will   shine   out   now,   the   path 
of  white  angels  to  the  western  world!      (Sings) 
Golden  bridles,  silver  bridles. 
Coming  up  along  the  strand; 
Keening's  not  used  or  treachery 
In  the  tilled  familiar  land ! 

Maire  (from  the  zvindozv). — Quiet,  Derrick;  leave  off  singing. 
There  is  a  boat  come  to  the  shore — there  is  some  queen-woman 
stepping  out  of  it. 

i6 


Brennain. — What  sort  is  she? 

Maire. — She  is  tall,  and  has  rich  clothing,  and  there  is  some 
shining  thing  on  her  head. 

RuRY  (going  to  window). — The  Lord  be  between  us  and  harm! 
It  is  Queen  Gormleith ! 

Derrick   (coming  to  window). — The  High  King's  wife! 

Brennain. — What  does  she  want  coming  into  Munster? 

Maire  (shivering). — I  hope  she  will  bring  no  harm  on  our 
king  I 

Phelan. — Malachi  thought  she  would  stop  at  home,  keeping 
her  maids  to  their  needles.  It  is  time  for  him  to  have  got  bet- 
ter sense. 

Brennain. — What  did  he  want  marrying  her?  I  would  never 
like  to  meddle  with  a  woman  that  had  been  married  to  a  Dane. 

(Gormleith  comes  in  and  looks  round.  All  the  servants  come 
foiivard  and  how  obsequiously.) 

Derrick  (pulling  forward  a  chair). — Welcome  to  Kincora, 
Queen   Gormleith ! 

Gormleith  (sitting  down). — I  thank  you.  I  thought  to  find 
all  the  kings  here.  Is  the  business  finished  that  brought  them 
together?  Is  not  that  Phelan,  my  brother's  servant?  And  there 
is  Rury,  my  husband's  servant.  Have  the  High  King  and  the 
King  of  Leinster  put  their  names  to  this  peace? 

Rury. — The  peace  is  made.  Queen,  but  the  names  are  not  put 
to  it  yet.  Malachi  and  Brian  are  kings  of  the  North  and  of  the 
South.     But  Malachi  has  the  High  Kingship  yet. 

Gormleith. — That  is  a  fine  peace !  What  has  delayed  the 
signing  of  it? 

Phelan. — They  are  waiting  for  Sitric.  They  are  gone  out  to 
meet  him.  Maelmora  brought  his  submission ;  he  is  coming 
to  put  his  name  to  the  treaty.  If  he  does  not  come  soon,  the 
supper  will  be  spoiled. 

Gormleith. — So  my  son  Sitric  has  submitted !  He  never 
told  me.     He  would  not  tell  it  to  me.     Sitric  under  Brian  and 

17 


under  Malachi !     (Brcnnain  goes  to  the  door.)     You  are  going 
to  call  in  the  kings? 

Brennain. — I  am,  Queen.  I  will  bring  them  in  to  welcome 
you. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Do  uot  hurry  them  for  my  sake.  I  am  well  con- 
tent to  rest  for  a  while  in  this  beautiful  Kincora,  that  is  folded 
between  the  river  and  the  hills. 

Brennain. — It  is  fair  enough,  fair  enough.  We  have  not  the 
hill  of  Tara  or  of  Almhuin. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Brian  has  the  great  river  to  carry  his  orders. 
He  has  bound  it  to  his  service  as  far  as  the  wide  sea.  And 
you  have  what  is  better  than  hills  or  rivers  ;  you  have  the  most 
plentiful  house  in  all  Ireland,  your  king  is  the  best  served,  his 
people  have  the  greatest  name  for  bravery. 

Derrick. — That  is  true.  ^lacLiagh,  the  king's  poet,  has  made 
a  song  about  that. 

GoRMLEiTH. — The  best  songs  in  all  Ireland  are  made  in  Kin- 
cora. 

Rury. — Derrick  himself  is   a  good  songmaker. 

Derrick. — Just  middling.  But  I  will  make  a  song  about  your 
coming.  Queen,  will  be  remembered  to  the  end  of  life  and 
time.  It  will  have  in  it  the  stir  of  a  battle,  the  fighting  of  the 
sun  against  the  cold,  and  of  the  stars  against  the  dark. 

GoRMLEiTH. — It  will  be  a  good  poem.  The  High  King  has  no 
one  at  his  court  able  to  make  a  poem  like  that. 

Phelan. — We  have  poets  at  the  court  of  the  King  of  Lein- 
ster — and  feasts. 

GoRMLEiTH. — That  court  is  like  my  own,  being  my  brother's. 
You  would  not  have  me  praise  my  own  cradle.  But  I  have  often 
praised  my  brother's  faithful  servant.  (Gives  him  her  hainJ. 
He  kisses  it.) 

Brennain  (to  Maire,  aside). — Go,  Maire,  and  see  are  the 
kings  coming.  This  queen  has  too  much  of  bee's  honey  in  her 
mouth.     (Maire  goes  out.) 

i8 


GoRMLEiTH. — I  have  stopped  yonr  work.  Go  on  making  the 
table  ready. 

Brennain. — All  is  ready,  Queen.  We  have  but  to  put  the 
seats  and  to  bring  in  the  dishes. 

GoRMLEiTH. — You  are  standing  idle,  Rury.  Is  there  no  work 
for  you  to  do? 

Rury. — I  can  be  putting  the  chair  ready  for  the  High  King. 
(Pulls  a  chair  forward.) 

GoRMLEiTH. — Do  not  put  that  for  him.  That  is  King  Brian's 
chair. 

Rury. — It  is  the  custom  to  give  the  best  chair  to  the  High 
King  of  Ireland. 

Gormleith. — It  was  the  custom.  But  remember  the  High 
King  is  not  above  King  Brian  now.  He  is  but  his  equal.  They 
are  the  kings  of  the  North  and  South. 

Rury. — I  would  never  give  in  to  putting  Malachi  below  any 
other  man. 

Phelan. — Where  should  I  put  the  King  of  Leinster's  chair? 

Brian. — Put  it  there — to  King  Brian's  left  hand.  That  is  it. 
A  little  farther  down. 

Gormleith. — You  were  putting  it  too  close,  Phelan.  King 
Brian  is  such  a  great  man  now,  there  must  be  the  length  of  a 
sword  left  between  him  and  any  other  king  of  a  province. 

Phelan. — My  master  is  good  enough  to  sit  close  up  to  any  of 
the  kings  of  the  world. 

Gormleith  (to  Brennain). — You  must  make  these  forgetful 
men  remember  that  their  masters  have  a  master  themselves  now 
in  King  Brian. 

Brennain. — So  they  have,  so  they  have!  Kincora  will  be  the 
capital  of  Ireland. 

Maire  (coming  in). — I  see  Sitric  and  the  King  of  Leinster 
coming  over  the  hill. 

Brennain. — It  is  best  for  us  to  be  putting  the  food  on  the 
table.  Go,  Maire,  for  the  dishes.  (She  goes  out.)  Sitric  will 
sign  his  name  with  the  less  delay  if  he  sees  the  fat  of  the  mut- 
ton hardening. 

19 


GoRMLEiTii  (who  ha^  gone  to  window,  turning  from  it). — They 
are  a  long  way  off.  You  have  time.  Be  sure  that  the  best  dish 
is  set  before  the  greatest  of  the  kings!  (She  turns  again  to 
window.) 

Maire  (coming  in). — Here  is  the  king's  dish,  the  round  of  the 
beef. 

Brennain.— I  will  put  it  here  before  King  Brian. 

RuRY.— It  is  before  Malachi  it  should  be  put.  The  best  dish 
should  be  put  before  the  High  King. 

Brennain. — You  heard  what  Queen  Gormleith  herself  said, 
that  Brian  is  as  good  now  as  IVlalachi. 

(Gormleith  turns  and  leans  against  side  of  zvindow,  listening 
with  enjoyment.) 

RuRY. — He  is  not  as  good  as  the  King  of  Tara ;  and  he  never 
will  be  as  good.     Put  the  beef  here. 

Maire. — Here  is  as  good  a  dish — a  roasted  quarter  of  a  boar. 

RuRY. — We  have  plenty  of  pigs  in  the  North.  A  pig  is  no 
great  dish  for  a  king.     The  beef  is  the  more  honorable  dish. 

Brennain. — If  it  is,  it  is  to  the  most  honorable  man  it  is  going. 

Rury. — How  do  you  make  that  out?  The  High  King  is  the 
most  honorable  man! 

Brennain. — The  High  King!  Where  would  he  be  but  for 
Brian ! 

Rury. — What  are  you  talking  about? 

Brennain. — I  tell  you,  if  it  was  not  for  Brian  taking  the  Danes 
in  hand  the  way  he  did,  it  is  hares  of  the  wilderness  Malachi 
might  be  milking  to-day  in  place  of  cows ! 

Rury. — Brian!  Where  was  Brian  the  day  Malachi  took  the 
golden  collar  from  the  big  Dane?     Answer  me  that! 

Brennain. — That  Malachi  may  be  choked  with  that  same  collar 
before  the  size  of  my  nail  of  this  beef  will  go  down  his  throat 
until  he  has  asked  it  of  Brian  first ! 

(Gormleith  claps  her  hands.) 

Rury. — Asked  it  of  Brian  ! 

Brennain. — Asked  it  and  begged  it,  the  way  a  queen's  lapdog 
begs  at  the  table. 

20 


Derrick. — Put  the  beef  before  Queen  Gormleith's  chair,  and 
everyone  will  be   satisfied. 

Phelan. — It  is  not  I  will  be  satisfied  till  I  know  what  share 
of  the  meat  the  King  of  Leinster  is  to  get !  It  is  another  round 
of  the  beef  should  be  put  before  him ! 

Brennain. — The  next  time  the  King  of  Leinster  comes  here 
he  will  find  his  fill  of  beef  before  him — his  own  cattle  that  wilU 
be  coming  from  now  till  then  as  tribute  from  the  traitors  of 
Leinster. 

Phelan. — Holy  Saint  Bridgit!  Listen  what  they  are  saying 
of  your  own  province ! 

RuRY. — Brennain  is  right.  Tripe  and  cowheels  and  pigs' 
crubeens  are  good  enough  for  that  troop,  and  too  good ! 

Phelan. — O  let  me  out  of  this !  Tripe  and  crubeens  and  all 
this  plenty  in  the  house !  I  will  call  to  all  the  poets  of  Leinster 
to  put  a  curse  upon  Kincora ! 

Derrick. — My  grief  that  I  have  not  time  to  sharpen  this  knife  I 
(Seises  one.)  No  matter!  It  is  on  your  own  bones  I  will 
sharpen  it!  (All  seise  knives  and  threaten  each  other.  Gorm- 
leith  laughs  and  claps  her  hands.) 

Maire. — Quiet,  quiet.  Here  is  the  King  of  Leinster.  Here 
are  Murrough  and  Sitric! 

(They  enter. .  Gormleith  comes  dozvn  and  puts  an  arm  round 
Sitric  and  Maelmora.) 

Murrough. — What  is  this  kennel  of  fighting  hounds?  Bren- 
r.ain,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  uproar? 

Brennain. — It  is  these  others  made  an  attack  on  me.  I  am  for 
quiet  and  for  getting  ready  the  table ! 

Phelan. — Taking  the  best  beef  he  was !  Leaving  my  master 
to  the  last! 

Derrick. — Rury  wanted  the  best  of  the  chairs  for  Malachi ! 

RuRY. — Keep  your  chair !     Malachi  is  master  wherever  he  sits ! 

Murrough. — Malachi  master  here !     That  is  news,  indeed  ! 

Gormleith  (to  Maelmora). — Some  say  he  is  uppermost,  and 
some  say  Brian ;  but  the  King  of  Leinster  is  put  in  the  lowest 
place  of  all ! 

21 


KINCORA 

Maelmora  {to  Murrough). — Do  you  think  me  so  much  below 
Brian  because  I  have  consented  to  make  peace  with  him? 

Murrough. — You  have  consented  to  send  tribute.  It  is  not  the 
one  who  is  uppermost  that  sends  tribute. 

Maelmora. — If  Brian  had  spoken  Hke  that  I  would  not  have 
consented  to  send  it.     I  have  a  mind  to  keep  it  back  even  now. 

Murrough. — As  you  will,  King.  If  we  send  our  men  to  look 
for  it,  you  yourself  will  have  forced  it  on  us. 

Maelmora. — I  can  hold  my  province  against  the  men  of  Kin- 
cora !  Let  them  fish  and  shiver  like  cranes  in  frost  before  they 
will  see  one  head  of  cattle  coming  from  Leinster. 

SiTRic  (to  Maelmora). — I  thought  it  was  to  make  a  peace  you 
brought  me  here.  It  seems  now  you  are  making  yourself  ready 
for  a  battle. 

GoRMLEiTH. — That  should  be  good  news.  You  are  young  to 
give  in  to  peace  like  a  monk  or  a  bishop. 

SiTRic. — They  have  deceived  me,  calling  this  a  treaty.  It  is 
a  bad  day  that  brought  me  to  Kincora  without  my  hand  on  the 
sword. 

Murrough. — If  you  had  come  with  your  hand  on  the  sword 
it  is  likely  you  would  have  got  a  welcome  that  would  have  kept 
you  in  Kincora  to  the  day  of  judgment! 

SiTRic. — It  is  a  pity  we  did  not  smoke  out  this  den  long  ago ! 

Murrough. — It  is  you  yourself  are  smoked  out  of  your  den 
to-day  and  out  of  the  hole  where  you  were  hiding! 

Gormleith  (to  Maelmora). — It  was  you  who  brought  Sitric 
here. 

Maelmora. — Keep  a  quiet  tongue,  Murrough.  Sitric  will  not 
take  from  you  what  he  might  take  from  Brian. 

Sitric. — I  will  take  no  high  words  from  Brian  or  any  other 
man,  whatever  you  yourself  may  be  in  the  habit  of  taking  from 
him. 

Maelmora. — I  will  take  nothing  from  him  and  he  will  get 
nothing  from  me.  I  swear  I  will  send  no  tribute  to  Brian!  I 
would  sooner  die.     (Draws  sword.) 

22 


MuRROUGH.— Many  a  man  has  died  who  set  himself  up  against 
King  Brian!     (Draws  sword.) 

Brennain. — That  is  good  talk !     Brian  has  a  long  hand ! 

Derrick. — Murrough  and  Brian  are  the  two  hawks  of  battle  of 
the  Gael! 

Phelan. — We  will  turn  you  into  jackdaws!  We  will  change 
your  note  for  you ! 

Rury. — Malachi  and  the  Hill  of  Tara ! 

Derrick. — Munster  and  the  Dalcassians  ! 

Phelan. — No  tribute  !     Hold  the  cattle ! 

Rury. — Tara  for  victory!  ^ 

Derrick. — Brian  and  Murrough!  ,  ^,,  ,      x 

PHELAN.-Down  with  Kincora!  \  (^"  together.) 

Brennain. — Drive  out  the  traitors  !  j 

(Brian  and  Malachi  come  in.) 

Maire. — The  King!     (Servants  fall  back.) 

Brian  (sternly). — Swords  out  in  this  house!  (To  Sitric  and 
Maelmora)  I  ask  your  pardon.  My  son  is  young  and  hot.  He 
should  be  back  in  the  schools. 

Murrough  (sullenly,  putting  sword  in  sheath). — It  was  their 
fault.  They  roused  me  with  their  words.  They  said  they  were 
above  you.     They  said — I  forget  now  what  they  said. 

Brian. — Shut  your  ears,  Murrough,  when  sharp  words  are 
spoken  within  your  own  walls.  It  is  best  not  to  hear  what 
you  must  not  answer. 

(Gormleith  comes  forward.) 

Malachi. — Queen  Gormleith  ! 

Gormleith. — It  is  a  surprise  to  you  to  see  me? 

Malachi. — No  great  surprise.  I  have  not  often  known  a  bat- 
tle, Queen,  where  you  were  not  looking  on  from  some  perch  or 
another. 

Brian. — Is  this  Queen  Gormleith?  (Takes  her  hand  and 
kisses  it.) 

Malachi. — It  is  herself.     Queen  Gormleith  that  I  brought  back 

23 


KINCORA 

from  the  Danes,  thinking  to  make  a  good  Irishwoman  of  her 
again. 

Brian. — You  did  well  for  Ireland  doing  that.  I  am  sorry,  in- 
deed, Queen,  you  have  had  so  rough  a  welcome  in  my  house. 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  have  had  the  best  of  welcomes.  This  is  no 
sleepy  place.  I  have  found  the  stir  and  the  high  hearts  I  looked 
for  in  a  king's  house. 

Malacki. — I  would  not  wonder,  Queen,  if  it  was  your  breath 
helped  me  to  blow  this  wisp  alight.  You  will  do  some  day,  with 
your  lightness  and  laughter,  what  will  bring  great  trouble  into 
the  houses  of  kings. 

Brian. — There  could  be  no  unkind  thought  beneath  such  high 
beauty. 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  thank  you.  King. 

Brian. — My  people  are  rough.  There  has  been  no  queen  in 
this  house  since  my  own  young  Connacht  wife,  Murrough's 
mother,  died  from  me.  A  house  without  a  queen  grows  to  be 
like  a  windy  hillside  after  the  hunting,  where  orders  are  loud- 
voiced,  and  service  is  rough,  and  hounds  are  unloosed  and 
snatching. 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  think  that  rough  service  well  befits  a  king's 
house. 

Brian. — A  queen's  voice  would  turn  it  all  to  gentleness.  It 
is  seldom  we  hear  a  woman's  voice  in  this  hall,  unless  it  may 
be  in  the  keening,  when  the  men  of  our  race  are  brought  back 
cold  and  dumb  from  their  victories. 

GoRi^fLEiTH. — I  think  you  have  indeed  the  right  house  for  a 
king. 

Malachi. — Let  us  waste  no  more  time.  Here  now  is  Sitric. 
Let  him  put  his  name  to  the  peace,  and  the  supper  will  turn 
the  whole  company  to  better  humour.  Good  meat  and  good 
drink  are  the  best  peacemakers. 

Brian. — My  welcome  to  you,  Sitric.  Here  is  the  parchment. 
Maelmora,  your  uncle  wrote  down  the  terms  of  submission  you 

24 


had  agreed  to.     You  have  but  to  put  your  name.     The  hostages 
can  be  sent  to-morrow. 

(Sitric  is  silent.) 

Brian. — Will  you  read  it?  Or  will  you  be  content  with  what 
Maelmora  has  written? 

Malachi. — He  put  in  the  writing  that  you  and  your  army 
would  agree  to  quit  Ireland,  or  to  live  in  it  without  arms,  under 
tribute  to  myself  and  to  Brian. 

Sitric. — I  will  not  sign  it. 

Brian. — Not  sign  it !     Why  is  this  ? 

Malachi. — It  was  you  yourself  sent  in  your  submission.  Why 
should  you  draw  back  now? 

Sitric. — Hot  words  have  been  said  to  me  that  I  am  not  used 
to  put  up  with. 

Brian. — This  is  Murrough's  folly.  I  ask  your  pardon  for  it, 
and  he  will  ask  your  pardon. 

Sitric. — He  need  not  do  that.     I  have  made  up  my  mind.     I 
will  agree  to  no  submission. 
'Malachi. — What  is  it  you  have  against  it? 

Sitric. — I  will  not  give  in  to  Brian.  I  will  not  leave  the  coun- 
try at  Brian's  bidding.  I  will  not  bid  my  men  to  give  up  their 
arms.     I  will  bid  them  to  go  on  fighting  to  the  last. 

Brian. — This  is  folly,  Sitric.  You  could  not  stand  against  us 
alone  through   the   length   of  a   winter  day. 

Maelmora. — He  will  not  be  alone.  I  give  up  my  share  in  the 
peace.  I  would  sooner  be  with  the  Danes  than  with  Brian  of 
the  Tributes! 

Malachi  (in  a  tone  of  vexation). — How  hot  you  are  for  fight- 
ing, young  men !  Hot  blood,  hot  blood,  and  all  our  trouble 
gone  to  loss !  If  Brian  was  of  my  mind,  he  would  have  let  the 
hot  blood  out  of  you  when  he  saw  you  weakening;  and  he  might 
have  got  some  ease  and  comfort  for  himself  and  for  me.  (To 
Brian)  Let  us  offer  something — let  them  do  what  they  like  with 
Leinster   if  they   do   not  meddle   with   us.     A   war   would  be   a 

25 


heavy   business.    You    were   saying   a   while   ago   what  a   great 
thing  peace  would  be  for  Ireland. 

Brian. — Entire  peace  is  a  great  thing,  but  a  half  peace  is  no 
better  worth  winning  than  the  half  of  the  living  child  the  Jew- 
ish mothers  were  fighting  for. 

Malachi. — It  is  my  opinion  you  will  not  see  entire  peace  and 
the  end  of  war  in  Ireland,  till  the  worms  have  been  made 
an  end  of  by  the  thrushes,  or  the  clouds  by  the  wind,  or  the  nights 
by  the  long  days. 

Brian. — I  tell  you  I  will  make  no  settlement  that  leaves  any 
one  of  the  provinces  a  nest  and  a. breeding  ground  for  the  enemies 
and  the  ill-wishers  of  the  rest  of  Ireland.  It  is  certain  that  Ire- 
land must  be  as  free  as  God  made  her  before  she  can  be  as 
happy  as  He  saw  her  in  the  making.  Sitric  must  sign  this 
{holds  out  parchment)  or  make  himself  ready  to  fight. 

SiTiRic  (takes  parchment,  looks  at  it  a  moment,  then  cuts  it  in 
two  with  his  sword,  and  throws  down  the  pieces  violently). — 
There  is  an  end  of  your  peace ! 

Brian  (drawing  his  szvord). — Come  out  then,  old  comrade! 
I  thought  to  let  you  sleep  for  a  while,  but  the  day's  work  is  not 
over  yet.  (Unbuckles  sheath,)  But  this  is  what  I  will  never 
make  use  of  again  so  long  as  there  is  so  much  as  a  threat  of 
trouble  or  treachery  in  any  one  of  the  provinces  of  Ireland. 
(Throws  away  sheath.) 

Sitric  (Flinging  down  sheath). — There  is  mine,  till  I  come  to 
look  for  it  again ! 

Maelmora. — And  mine!  (Flings  down  sheath.  He  and  Sitric 
go  to  the  door.) 

GoRMLEiTH. — The  sword  in  the  hand  and  the  sheath  on  the 
floor!  That  is  a  good  sight  in  a  king's  house!  (To  Brian)  War 
is  best!  War  is  best!  When  the  swords  of  kings  grow  rusty 
in  the  sheath,  the  height  of  the  noontide  will  be  over  for  the 
world ! 

Curtain 


26 


ACT  II 


KINCORA 

ACT    II 

AFTER  GLEN  MAMA 

Scene — The  same  hall  at  Kincora.  Heap  of  spoils  on  the  floor, 
Brennain  has  just  come  in  with  Phelan,  who  is  bound.  Derrick 
and  Maire  at  zvindow,  zvaving  branches. 

Derrick. — A  welcome  to  the  army  of  the  Dalcassians !  A  wel- 
come to  the  army  that  put  down  tlie  Danes !  A  welcome  to 
Brian!  The  branch  to  King  Brian!  {Throws  it.  Turns  to 
Maire.)  Come  to  the  door.  The  King  is  coming.  {He  and 
Maire  step  down  and  see  Brennain.) 

Brennain. — The  branch  to  myself.  What  do  you  say  to  me, 
taking  this  prisoner  in  the  battle?  I  drove  him  before  me  all  the 
way  from  Glenmama.     It's  the  Leinster  men  that  can  run  well ! 

Maire. — The  King  of  Leinster's  servant ! 

Brennain  {pushing  Phelan). — Come  on  here.  Jackdaws  are 
we?  You'll  change  our  note  for  us?  Give  me  a  wisp  of  lighted 
straw  till  I  make  him  shout  for  King  Brian! 

Derrick. — That's  right !  That's  right !  That's  the  way  we're 
bringing  back  traitors  to  Kincora  that  went  boasting  out  of  it. 

Phelan. — If  I  did  boast,  you  needn't  put  the  blame  on  me. 
When  the  dog  smells  a  bone,  the  dog's  tail  must  wag.  I  do  but 
wag  as  my  master  pleases. 

Brennain. — It  is  we  ourselves  are  gnawing  the  bone  now. 
Look  at  these  spoils.  Coming  in  since  morning  they  are;  the 
whole  of  the  court  is  full  of  them.     Did  ever  anyone  see  such 


KINCORA 

riches?     Robbed  by  the  Danes  they  were  from  every  dun  in  Ire- 
land, and  from  the  hidden  houses  of  the  Sidhe. 

(Enter  Brian  with  shield;  he  wears  a  helmet.) 

Maire. — My  hundred  welcomes  to  you,  Brian  of  the  victories ! 

Brian. — I  thank  you,  Maire. 

Derrick. — My  thousand  welcomes  to  yourself  and  your  whole 
army.  I  am  making  a  song  for  you,  King,  about  the  great  vic- 
tory of  Glenmama.  A  song  with  as  many  verses  in  it  as  my 
fingers  and  toes,  and  a  great  deed  in  every  verse. 

Brian. — Let  it  be  a  good  one,  Derrick ;  for  if  I  have  my  way,  it 
will  be  the  last  battle  song  ever  made  in  my  lifetime. 

Derrick. — Good  is  it?  The  words  will  come  as  fast  as  the 
running  of  the  Danes  before  you — galloping,  gander-winged, 
grasshopping.  Making  for  the  sea  they  were,  the  same  as  gulls. 
I  will  put  the  screaming  of  gulls  in  my  poem — sky-sailing,  sad- 
sounding,   sea-searching. 

Brian. — That  is  enough.  I  have  had  my  fill  of  battles.  (He 
sits  down  and  takes  off  helmet.) 

Maire. — Let  me  put  away  your  sword,  King. 

Brian  (takes  arm-ring  from  the  heap  of  spoils). — Take  that 
ring  from  the  spoils,  Maire.  This  war  is  over;  but  all  Ireland 
is  not  at  peace.  I  must  not  put  away  my  sword  till  a  girl  like 
you  can  travel  through  the  whole  country  wearing  a  ring  like 
that,  and  no  one  lay  a  hand  on  her  or  on  it. 

Maire. — It  is  too  much  for  me.  King. 

Brennain. — Murrough  sent  to  ask  when  you  would  judge  the 
prisoners. 

Brian. — Not  yet.     I  will  wait  for  Malachi.     He  is  on  his  way. 

Brennain. — What  will  I  do  with  the  spoils? 

Brian. — Make  three  shares  of  them.  A  share  for  the  High 
King,  and  a  share  for  the  men  of  learning,  and  a  share  for  Kin- 
cora. 

Brennain. — I  will;  I  will  keep  the  best  for  ourselves. 

Brian. — The  best  must  go  to  the  High  King. 

29 


Brennain.— It  is  yourself  should  be  High  King,  Brian,  after 
this  great  victory.     All  Ireland  is  saying  it. 

Brian. — The  whole  world  may  say  it  before  it  will  make  me 
break  my  peace  with  Malachi. 

Brennain. — Malachi  is  all  for  ease.  It  is  not  Malachi  that 
will  master  the  five  provinces,  tearing  and  spitting  at  one  another 
the  way  they  are. 

Derrick. — Take  the  High  Kingship,  Brian,  and  they  will  be 
like  the  five  fingers  of  the  one  hand,  the  five  features  of  the 
King's  face,  the  five  white  leaves  of  an  apple  blossom ! 

Brennain. — It  is  what  they  are  now,  five  wild  cats  struggling 
in  a  bag,  and  four  times  five  claws  on  every  one  of  them. 

(A  clattering  of  horses  is  heard.) 

Brennain. — That  is  the  sound  of  the  High  King's  horses. 

Brian. — He  is  come  to  judge  the  prisoners  of  Glenmama.  Let 
them  be  "brought  here  now. 

(Exeunt  sei'vants.    Enter  Malachi.) 

Malachi. — I  was  delayed  in  coming.  Your  Munster  roads 
are  good  innkeepers.  They  were  not  willing  to  let  the  wheels 
of  my  chariot  go  from  them. 

Brian. — You  are  in  time,  High  King.  I  have  given  no  judg- 
ment yet.     I  have  sent  for  the  prisoners. 

Malachi. — We  will  show  the  Danes  their  leader  will  get  the 
same  reward  from  us  as  common  men. 

(Enter  Brennain  and  Derrick.) 

Brennain. — Here  are  the  prisoners,  King.  (Enter  Murrough 
with  Sitric  and  Maelmora  in  bonds.) 

Malachi. — Is  Maelmora  taken?  That  is  good  news.  They 
said  he  could  not  be  found.  I  thought  he  had  escaped  from  the 
battle. 

Brennain. — It  was  Murrough  took  him,  High  King!  Hiding 
he  was  in  a  yew  tree.  Murrough  dragged  him  out  of  it  the  same 
as  a  wren's  nest. 

Brian. — Enough.     We  do  not  boast  in  time  of  victory. 

Derrick   (to  Brennain). — Mind  yourself.     It   is  not  mannerly 

30 


for  yon  to  be  talking  about  that  yew  tree  before  the  King  oi 
Leinster. 

MuRROUGH. — The  men  of  my  army  are  waiting  outside  to 
bring  these  n]en  to  their  punishment. 

Brian. — What  punishment  would  you  give  them? 

MuRROUGH. — How  did  the  Danes  treat  their  prisoners?  How 
did  the   King  of  Leinster  treat  his   rebels? 

Brian. — Have  they  any  excuse  to  make   for  themselves  ? 

MuRROUGH. — They  have   made  none  to   me. 

Malachi. — They  have  none  to  make. 

Brian. — What  have  you  to  say  in  your  own  defence? 

MuRROUGH. — You  hear,  Maelmora  and  Sitric,  what  the  King 
is   asking? 

SiTRic. — I  will  say  nothing.     I  fought,  and  I  have  lost. 

Maelmora. — I  will  say  nothing.  Nothing  I  could  say  would 
change  your  mind. 

Brian. — What  do  you  say,  Brennain?  You  have  seen  many 
prisoners  brought  into  Kincora. 

Brennain. — I  say  a  dead  wolf  vv^ill  worry  no  sheep,  and  a  dead 
fox  will  kill  no  lambs. 

Malachi. — That  is  so.  Take  them  to  their  death.  They  can 
make  no  complaint. 

Brian. — Wait.  These  are  not  all.  Murrough,  bring-  in  the  last 
prisoner  that  was  taken. 

Malachi. — What  other  is  there  high  enough  to  be  judged  with 
kings? 

(Brian  lifts  his  hand  for  silence.  Murrough  brings  in  Gorm- 
leith,  bound.     Brian  stands  up.) 

Brian. — Put  a  chair  for  Queen  Gormleith.  (Chair  placed. 
Gormleith  stands,  taking  no  notice.) 

Malachi. — Have  you  been  brought  down,  Crow  of  Battle? 

Murrough. — The  queen  was  taken  in  the  fight  among  Sitric's 
men.     This  broken  spear  was  the  last  of  her  weapons. 

Malachl — Whatever  punishment  and  whatever  judgment  may 
fall  on  Sitric  and  on  Maelmora,  a  heavier  judgment  must  surely 

31 


fall  on  this  woman,  who  left  a  woman's  work,  and  was  the  very 
seed  and  root  of  the  war. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Is  it  Malachi,  and  not  Brian,  that  gives  judgment 
in  this  hall  of  Kincora? 

Brian. — It  is  not  for  me,  Queen,  to  judge  the  High  King's 
wife. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Am  I  the  High  King's  wife?  Is  not  that  story  at 
an  end,  and  that  treaty  broken? 

Malachi. — It  is  broken,  surely.  When  I  knew  you  had  gone 
out  of  my  house  to  take  the  side  of  my  enemies,  my  gates  were 
shut  against  you.  You  were  shut  out  of  my  house  and  my 
kingdom. 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  made  no  secret  war.  Did  you  think  I  would 
creep  back  to  ask  for  shelter? 

Malachi. — My  men  had  orders  not  to  spare  you.  No  one  in 
Ireland  would  have  dared  give  you  shelter  if  you  had  escaped 
from  the  battle.  But  you  have  not  escaped.  You  have  come 
to  your  death,  and  you  have  brought  your  son  and  your  brother 
to  their  death. 

MuRROUGH. — I  have  other  witnesses  that  saw  her  fighting  in 
the  battle. 

GoRMLEiTH. — You  need  not  bring  them.  I  was  there.  I  fought 
beside  my  son  against  Malachi  and  the  men  of  Meath. 

Brian  {to  Midachi). — What  was  it  turned  the  Queen  to  be 
your  enemy? 

Malachi. — I  know  of  no  cause,  unless  she  had  some  lover. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Some  lover !  The  Danes  could  tell  you  I  would 
rather  lay  my  lips  to  a  blue  breast-plate  than  to  the  whitest  skin 
in  the  world. 

Malachi. — That  may  be  so.  It  is  hard  to  know  with  such  a 
woman  when  there  is  a  kiss  behind  her  schemes,  or  a  scheme 
behind  her  kisses.     I  am  done  with  you  now  and  forever. 

Gormleith. — I  had  no  lover,  Brian.  I  never  came  yet  to  the 
man  I  could  give  my  love  to — the  man  that  could  bind  me  to 
peace. 

32 


Malachi. — I  think,  indeed,  that  man  is  still  unborn.    . 

GoRMLEiTH. — There  may  be  such  a  man.  A  man  that  has  sent 
his  name  out  like  the  shout  of  a  great  army ;  that  could  quiet 
my  hands  with  his  strong  hand ;  that  could  quiet  my  heart,  filling 
it  with  pride  of  him,  and  my  mouth,  filling  it  with  praise  of  him. 

Brian. — The  High  King  of  Ireland  should  be  such  a  man. 

GoRMLEiTH. — His  time  is  over.  He  is  for  ease;  I  would  have 
no  time  for  rest.  He  is  for  the  jesters;  I  am  for  the  proud 
songs  of  heroes.  He  is  for  the  fatness  of  the  barley  in  the  ear; 
I  am  for  the  redness  and  the  ferment  of  the  ale. 

Brian. — That  need  not  have  driven  a  wife  to  battle. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Would  you  have  me  sit  at  home,  and  use  false 
words,  and  wish  for  his  death?  That  is  not  the  lesson  I  learned 
from  the  Danes. 

Malachi. — I  will  send  her  to  her  death.  There  will  be  no 
peace  or  ease  in  the  country  till  then. 

GoRMLEiTH. — You  are  my  judge,  King  Brian !  I  am  sister  of  a 
king.     I  was  a  queen  among  the  Danes. 

Brian. — You  have  lost  the  rights  of  a  queen,  taking  arms  like 
any  fighting  man. 

Gormleith. — There  were  high-hearted  kings,  and  high-hearted 
queens  in  the  old  days,  that  went  side  by  side  into  the  battle.  It 
is  from  such  kings  and  such  queens  that  you  and  I  are  come. 

Brian. — The  old  days  are  gone  by.  The  sign  of  the  Cross  is 
upon  us.     We  must  bring  the  world  to  peace. 

Gormleith. — What  is  this  peace  you  talk  of?  Is  it  so  great  a 
thing?  There  are  some  beyond  the  world  that  know  better.  In 
peace  the  little  men  grow  many,  and  the  great  men  lessen,  and 
the  high  heart  beats  slowly,  and  the  trader  holds  the  sway.  When 
the  world  is  changed  like  that  it  will  be  no  place  for  high-hearted 
men,  no  place  for  yourself,  Brian. 

Malachi. — Have  done  listening  to  words,  Brian,  and  give  your 
judgment,  or  I  myself  will  give  it. 

Brian. — Have  you  anything  to  ask,  Queen,  or  to  plead? 

Gormleith. — I  will  ask  for  no  mercy  for  myself,  or  my  son, 

33 


or  my  brother.  We  fought  and  we  are  beaten.  The  men  of 
our  race  know  how  to  die — yet — it  was  my  doing — Sitric  is  young 
— if  it  were  Murrough 

Maelmora. — We  are  not  children.  We  can  answer  for  our- 
selves.    We   ask  no   mercy. 

Sitric— I  will  not  shelter  behind  a  woman.  Keep  silence, 
Queen. 

Malachi. — Brian  will  give  a  right  judgment.  He  has  never 
spared  the  enemies  of  Ireland. 

Brian  (standing  up). — That  is  a  true  word.  I  have  never 
spared  them. 

Malachi. — Ireland  can  have  no  worse  enemies  than  these. 

Brian. — You  hear,  Queen,  what  the  High  King  says.  Ireland 
has  had  no  worse  enemies  than  these.  My  people  have  called 
them  wolves  and  foxes;  and  they  have  earned  that  name,  for  they 
have  torn  and  reddened  the  white  fleece  of  Ireland.  It  was  my 
heart's  desire  to  mend  that  torn  fleece;  to  gather  up  that  ragged 
wool;  to  weave  it  into  a  border  fit  for  the  cloak  of  the  King  of 
Heaven.  I  made  a  peace.  I  thought  to  fill  Ireland  with  joy;  to 
make  of  her  a  brimming  cup  at  the  feast  of  the  angels.  That  cup 
was  overturned ;  that  heavenly  cloak  was  torn ;  that  peace  was 
broken.  It  was  broken  by  you.  The  keening  and  the  treachery 
were  brought  back  again. 

Murrough. — I  will  bring  in  my  men  to  take  them  away.  Let 
them  be  buried  in  the  place  of  traitors  where  the  sun  will  not 
shine  on  their  grave. 

Brian. — Stop  !  I  have  given  no  judgment  yet.  Maelmora,  King 
of  Leinster,  is  guilty  of  treachery  to  me,  and  to  the  High  King, 
and  to  Ireland.  Sitric  the  Gall  is  guilty  of  the  great  robbery 
and  oppression  he  and  his  people  have  done  upon  Ireland.  Queen 
Gormleith  claims  her  share  in  the  war — and  yet — I  will  leave 
them  their  life  and  their  freedom. 

Murrough. — You  will  let  them  go?  ^      ^i ! 

Malachi. — If  Brian  had  not  said  that,  I  would  say  a  fool  had 
said  it. 

34 


Brian. — I  will  take  hostages;  but  I  will  let  them  go.  I  have 
shed  blood  all  through  my  life;  I  will  shed  no  more  of  it.    - 

Malachi. — If  you  let  these  men  go,  there  will  be  shedding  of 
blood  again. 

Brian. — They  have  learned  their  lesson.  They  know  their  mas- 
ter. I  am  not  willing  to  put  a  sod  on  the  mouth  or  a  clod  in  the 
hand  of  any  man  that  may  be  on  my  side  yet  against  the  enemies 
of  Ireland. 

MuRROUGH. — Sitric  is  no  Irishman. 

Brian. — His  mother  is  of  the  blood  of  the  kings  of  Leinster. 

MuRROUGH. — His  mother!  This  is  her  work.  If  yon  let  them 
go,  the  army  of  the  Dalcassians  will  not  let  them  go. 

Brian. — Do  you  think  to  force  me,  my  boy,  with  this  threat 
of  an  army? 

Malachi. — It  is  you  yourself  that  are  forcing  a  peace. 

Brian. — If  I  force  a  peace  now,  I  have  the  right  to  do  it,  for  I 
forced  on  war  often  enough.  It  was  I  myself  avenged  my 
brother  Mahon.  My  fathers  avenged  themselves  on  their  en- 
emies; and  the  sons  of  those  enemies  avenged  themselves  on  the 
men  of  our  race,  death  answering  to  death  from  side  to  side  like 
words  sung  by  the  clerks  at  the  Mass.  But  I  will  put  an  end  to 
that.  I  have  never  been  strong  enough  to  spare  life  until  now. 
I  have  only  been  strong  enough  to  take  life.  I  have  had  only 
the  strength  of  my  sword.  Now  I  have  the  strength  of  my  great 
name  and  my  will.  I  will  make  an  end  of  quarrels.  I  will  cut 
these  bonds.  (Takes  szvord  from  table  and  cuts  rope  that  hinds 
Gormleith.) 

Malachi   {starting  up). — I  will  not  have  them  loosed. 

Brian. — The  Queen  is  free.  Murrough,  cut  those  other  bonds. 
Leave  them  to  me. 

Malachi  (seising  Murrough,  ivho  is  reluctantly  drawing 
sword). — Leave  them  to  me;  leave  them  to  me.  It  is  not  for  you 
to  free  them. 

Gormleith    (taking  Brian's  sword  from  the  table  and  quickly 

35 


cutting  their  bonds). — You  left  the  judgment  to  Brian!  We  took 
the  first  King  of  the  world  for  our  judge! 

Malachi. — I  have  all  Ireland  in  my  care.  I  will  not  let  these 
traitors  go.     (Moves  towards  them.) 

Brian. — Stay,  King!  1  will  not  give  them  up!  They  are  in 
my  house.  I  have  given  them  my  word.  There  are  no  saplings 
in  a  walled  garden  safer  than  these  two  men.  There  is  no  blos- 
som on  the  highest  branch  of  the  woods  safer  from  rough  hands 
than  this  Queen. 

Malachi. — The  right  to  free  them  is  with  those  that  took 
them.  The  heads  of  armies  who  fought  as  well  as  you,  have  the 
right  over  prisoners  taken  in  battle.  These  are  not  Kings  now, 
but  shamed  and  beaten  men. 

Brian. — I  say  they  are  Kings.  Maelmora,  I  give  you  back  your 
own  Kingdom  of  Leinster.  Sitric,  I  give  you  back  your  own  town 
of  Ath  Cliath  to  keep  in  stewardship  for  me  and  for  Ireland. 
Murrough,  give  them  back  their  arms.  (Murrough  gives  them 
their  swords  and  shields.) 

Malachi. — Then  I  use  my  right  that  is  higher  than  yours — 
my  right  as  High  King  of  all  Ireland  to  take  these  men,  Kings 
though  they  may  be,  and  this  Queen,  into  my  own  hands,  and 
to  send  them  for  judgment  to  the  council  of  Tara. 

Murrough. — King  Brian's  is  the  greater  right.  All  Ireland 
knows  he  has  the  power,  if  he  would  use  it,  to  put  you  out  of 
Tara  to-day.  It  is  only  by  his  will  and  his  kindness  you  are 
wearing  the  High  King's  crown. 

Malachi. — Do  j^ou  yourself  say  that,  Brian,  son  of  Cennedigh, 
or  is  it  only  this  hot  boy  that  says  it? 

Brian. — I  do  say  it.  I  say  the  time  has  come  when  there  can 
be  but  one  master  in  Ireland. 

Malachi. — That  is  true.     Whoever  has  Tara  is  master. 

Brian. — Where  the  greatest  strength  is,  the  Hill  of  Tara  is. 
My  strength  has  dragged  Tara  westward. 

Malachi. — This  is  war  then,  and  the  breaking  of  peace. 

Brian. — It  is  rather  the  beginning  of  peace. 

36 


KINCORA 

Malachi. — I  will  raise  Connacht  against  yon,  I  will  call  to  my 
kinsmen  in  the  North. 

GoRMLEiTH. — Send  to  Connacht,  and  the  men  of  Connacht  will 
say  they  would  rather  have  Brian  over  them  than  yourself! 
Send  to  the  North,  and  your  kinsmen  in  the  North  will  say  as 
they  said  before  that  if  Tara  was  their  own  they  would  defend 
it;  but  as  it  is  yours  you  may  defend  it  for  yourself,  and  that  is 
a  thing  you  know  you  cannot  do.  You  will  get  no  help  from  the 
North  or  any  other  place  against  Brian ! 

Malachi. — That  will  be  known  soon  enough. 

Brian. — If  you  think  you  can  keep  the  High  Kingship  by  force, 
I  will  give  you  a  truce  of  a  week  or  a  month  or  a  quarter  to 
bring  your  men  together. 

Malachi. — A  month  will  be  enough.  I  will  lose  no  minute. 
The  North  and  the  West  will  be  against  you.     (Goes  out.) 

Brian. — War  again !     Well,  I  am  ready. 

GoRMLEiTH. — He  will  get  no  help.  No  one  will  come  against 
you.  His  own  poet  has  said  it  in  a  song.  He  went  East  and 
West,  North  and  South,  and  he  got  the  same  story  everywhere. 
There  was  no  man  in  all  Ireland  would  raise  a  hand  against 
King  Brian. 

Brian. — His  own  poet  has  said  that?  Then  the  sap  of  power 
has  turned  from  him  to  me.  The  Son  of  Mary  is  giving  Ireland 
into  my  charge.  His  right  hand  is  stretched  over  the  North,  His 
left  hand  southward  towards  the  sun,  His  face  is  towards  the 
West.  His  angels  have  set  their  ladder  upon  Usna,  Victor  angel 
of  Patrick,  Axel  angel  of  Columcille,  Michael  leader  of  armies. 
It  is  a  great  thing  they  are  doing  for  me,  giving  me  the  help 
of  their  sword.  Ireland — Ireland,  I  see  you  free  and  prospering; 
wheat  in  every  tilled  field;  beautiful  vessels  in  the  houses  of 
kings;  beautiful  children,  well  nourished  in  every  house.  No 
meddling  of  strangers  within  our  borders !  No  outcry  of  Gael 
against  Gael!  (Stops  a  moment.)  It  is  not  so.  Malachi  will 
get  help.  Why  am  I  taking  the  words  of  a  woman,  of  a  song? 
I  have  not  done  with  war. 

37 


KINCORA 

{Enter  Malachi.) 

Brian. — If  you  have  come  to  ask  more  time,  I  will  give  you  a 
truce  of  a  year. 

Malachi. — A  year  would  be  the  same  to  me  as  a  month. 

Brian. — Do  you  ask  a  longer  time  yet? 

Malachi. — I  have  a  hard  thing  to  say.  I  will  not  bring  de- 
struction on  my  people.  I  take  back  my  boasting  words.  My 
luck  has  turned  against  me.  I  have  no  help  to  get.  Queen 
Gormleith  has  spoken  the  truth. 

Brian. — You  will  not  fight  against  me? 

Malachi. — I  will  keep  my  sword  edge  sharp,  but  it  will  be 
against  the  Gall. 

Brian. — You  would  give  up  the  crown? 

Malachi. — I  would  not,  but  I  must.     {Lays  crown  on  table.) 

Brian. — God  has  given  me  the  power.  I  am  answerable  to 
God.     It  is  for  the  peace  of  Ireland  I  take  it. 

Maire  {softly). — It  is  Brian  that  will  bring  the  great  peace! 

Malachi. — That  is  enough  of  words.  {Pushes  over  crown.) 
Take  it  and  the  weight  of  it.  Yet  it  was  in  the  prophecy  that  I 
should  be  King  after  you  in  Tara! 

Brian  {takes  crozvn). — I  take  it  in  my  hand  that  is  stronger 
than  your  hand.  I  have  been  chosen  to  do  the  work  of  God.  I 
will  bring  all  Ireland  under  the  one  strong  rule. 

Gormleith  {kisses  his  hand). — Long  live  Brian,  High  King  of 
Ireland ! 

All  {raising  their  hands). — Long  live  the  High  King! 

Malachi. — I  have  another  word  to  say.  I  have  another  gift 
for  you.  The  Queen  of  Tara  must  not  lose  the  crown  of  Tara. 
She  must  go  with  it.  Take  her,  Brian.  She  is  cast  out  of  my 
house.  I  have  no  more  to  do  with  her.  You  boast  of  forcing 
peace.  Can  you  force  a  peace  on  her?  Quiet  her  and  I  will 
believe  you  can  master  all  the  wild  blood  of  Ireland. 

Gormleith. — You  offer  me  in  the  market.  Give  me  your  help, 
Brian.  Is  he  to  say  words  of  insult  to  me?  I  was  not  treated 
like  this  among  the  Danes. 

38 


KIN  CORA 

Brian. — I  will  have  no  word  of  insult  said  to  a  Queen  within 
these  walls. 

Malachi. — She  is  no  Queen  now.  Let  her  go  out  and  let  her 
find  her  place  among  the  witches  of  the  air. 

{He  draws  his  sword  and  takes  a  step  towards  her.) 

Brian  {lifting  crozvn  over  her) — I  give  her  the  shelter  of  this 
crown.  I  give  her  the  shelter  of  this  roof.  I  take  her  as  I  take 
Ireland,  under  the  power  of  my  name.  Brennain,  you  need  not 
divide  these  spoils.  I  offer  them  all  as  my  first  bride-gift  to 
Queen  Gormleith. 

Gormleith. — I  thank  you,  great  King. 

Brian. — See  here,  Queen,  it  is  no  bride  gift  of  a  clown  I  offer 
you — the  great  cauldron  made  by  smiths  of  Murias ;  the  sword 
of  Tethra ;  the  crown  of  Buan  from  the  well  of  Cruachan ;  the 
brooch  of  the  King  of  Britain's  daughter  and  her  little  silver 
harp;  the  shining  candlestick  of  Ethne  of  the  Sidhe. 

{All  turn  to  look  at  spoils  except  Malachi.) 

Rury  {coming  to  Malachi). — The  chariot  is  at  the  door  yet, 
King.  Have  you  a  mind  to  come  away  from  this,  or  to  stop  for 
the  wedding  feast? 

Malachi. — I  will  go;  I  have  been  long  enough  in  this  little 
place. 

RuRY.^ — Come  out  then.  High  King.     The  horses  are  rested. 

Malachi  {turn^s  towards  door). — A  little  place,  a  little  place. 
We  have  been  in  it  long  enough.  It  is  too  small  a  place  for  so 
much  buying  and  selling.  Great  gains !  Great  losses !  The 
crown  for  Brian!  The  High  Kingship  for  Brian!  The  spoils 
of  Glenmama  for  Gormleith!  {Turns  from  door.)  Who  has 
the  worst  of  it?     Brian  has  that  Crow  of  Battle.     {Exit.) 

Curtain 


39 


ACT  m 


KINCORA 

ACT    III 

Scene  I. — The  same  hall  at  Kincora.  Gormlcith  and  Sitric 
sitting  at  table;  Maelmora  standing. 

Maelmora  {holding  out  his  cloak). — Have  you  a  clasp,  Gorm- 
leith,  to  sew  on  this  cloak?    The  old  one  is  gone  from  it. 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  will  do  that.     How  was  the  old  one  lost? 

Maelmora. — It  was  on  the  journey  this  morning.  My  people 
and  the  people  of  the  Desi  were  bringing  our  tribute  of  ilr-trees ; 
and  a  dispute  arose  who  should  take  the  lead;  and  I  was  not 
willing  there  should  be  any  delay,  and  I  put  my  own  shoulder 
under  one  of  the  trees. 

GoRMLEiTH. — You,  my  brother,  carried  a  load? 

Maelmora. — There  was  no  dispute  after  that  who  was  to  take 
the  lead.  But  a  branch  of  the  tree  caught  in  the  clasp,  and 
dragged  it  off,  and  it  was  lost. 

GoRMLEiTH. — You  Carried  King  Brian's  loan  into  Kincora!  I 
will  sew  no  clasp  upon  the  cloak. 

Maelmora. — I  saw  no  shame  in  doing  that  for  Brian.  He  gave 
me  my  life,  and  my  kingdom. 

Gormleith. — I  see  great  shame  in  it !  I  see  you  all  bowing 
down  to  Brian's  law.  There  is  not  a  hound  of  yours  dares  so 
much  as  follow  a  hare  beyond  the  mearing,  without  leave  from 
judges  or  priests.  It  is  not  the  man  that  strikes  a  brave  blow 
that  is  honored  now,  but  the  man  that  shows  obedience;  that 
brings  tribute 

41 


Maelmora. — Quiet  yourself,  Gormleith.  My  mind  is  not  set 
like  yours,  on  swords  and  armies.  You  were  wild  and  restless 
long  ago,  dragging  me  after  you  from  the  teachers  and  the  nurses. 
You  have  had  the  tormenting  of  three  husbands  since  then; 
leave  your  brother  alone.  I  am  going  to  the  chess-players.  Take 
the  cloak,  and  have  the  clasp  on  it  when  I  come  again. 

{He  gives  her  the  cloak  and  goes  out.) 

Gormleith. — I  will  sew  on  no  clasp!  (Flings  it  away.)  The 
fire  is  the  right  place  for  this  livery  of  a  hired  man! 

SiTRic. — I  told  you  this  was  no  place  for  you;  it  is  with  the 
Danes  you  should  be.  The  salmon  that  is  used,  to  the  salt  sea 
grows  sick  out  there  in  the  still  river.  You  are  tangled  in  the 
weeds  of  the  river.     Break  away  from  them 

Gormleith. — I  told  you  I  would  not  give  you  my  help.  I  have 
done  with  the  Danes. 

SiTRic. — They  are  coming;  they  will  soon  be  landing;  their 
plans  are  made.  I  have  all  ready  for  them  at  Clontarf ;  I  trusted 
to  you  to  help.  If  Maelmora  has  no  power,  what  power  have  I?. 
Am  I,  your  son,  and  Olaf's  son,  to  be  a  steward  and  caretaker 
to  the  day  of  my  death  ?  Am  I  to  quarry  stones  for  the  churches, 
and  shut  myself  in  the  schools  to  read  books?  I  will  break  from 
it  all.     I  am  no  traitor;  I  was  born  under  the  raven. 

Gormleith. — Go  your  own  way;  fight  for  your  own  hand. 
What  do  you  want  of  me  ?  I  am  but  one  woman ;  there  is  noth- 
ing I  can  do 

SiTRic  (taking  out  letters). — This  is  what  you  can  do.  Look 
at  that  letter  from  Sigurd,  Earl  of  Orkney,  and  that  from  Brodar, 
of  the  Isle  of  Man.  See  what  they  ask — they  will  not  come  with- 
out a  call  from  you,  without  a  promise 

Gormleith. — I  know  what  they  ask.  I  will  not  give  a  promise 
to  either  of  them. 

SiTRic. — I  was  sure  you  would  help  me — you  are  nearer  to  me, 
your  son,  than  to  any  other. 

Gormleith. — That  is  true.  Brian  is  ageing;  his  strength  is 
going;  he  is  giving  up  the  sword  for  the  mass-book 

42 


SiTRic. — Brodar  and  Sigurd  sent  us  messengers — they  will  send 
for  help  for  us  from  Alban 

Brennain  (coming  in). — King  Brian  is  wanting  you,  Queen, 
in  the  inner  court,  to  give  a  welcome  to  King  Malachi,  that  is 
after  coming  back  at  last  in  friendship  to  Kincora.     (Goes  out.) 

GoRMLEiTH. — Malachi!  Is  he  here  again?  I  have  no  great 
mind  to  see  him.  But  I  must  go;  he  will  treat  me  w^ith  honor 
now;  he  dare  not  say  a  word  against  King  Brian's  wife. 

SiTRic. — I  told  Brodar  I  would  send  him  your  promise.  Give 
it  to  me  now. 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  will  givc  uo  promisc,  child ;  I  will  not  go  against 
you,  but  I  will  give  you  no  help  against  Brian.  I  am  glad  if  I 
was  a  traitor  to  Malachi ;  I  wdll  never  betray  Brian.  Go  to  the 
chess-players.     I   will  go  to  the  Kings, 

(She  goes  towards  door.) 

SiTRic  (putting  his  hand  on  her  arm). — Stay — listen 

GoRMLEiTH. — Leave  me;  I  will  not  listen.  I  have  taken  my 
own  way.  I  belong  to  Brian;  I  will  be  faithful;  I  am  bound  to 
Kincora.     (They  go  out.) 

(Enter  Brennain,  Derrick,  Rury  and  Phelan.) 

Brennain. — Put  the  chairs  here,  for  the  Kings  to  rest  for  a 
while.  (They  set  chairs.)  They  will  be  going  out  then  to  see 
the  army  do  its  feats,  where  it  is  gathered  on  the  green  to  do 
honor  to  King  Malachi. 

RuRY. — What  way  is  Queen  Gormleith?  Does  Brian  curb  her 
better  than  Malachi? 

Brennain. — What  way  would  he  curb  her,  having,  as  he  has, 
his  head  in  the  skies,  and  his  hand  in  every  good  work?  No 
matter;  no  matter;  we  have  more  than  the  bitting  of  mares  to 
attend  to  here.  Tribute  coming  from  every  side,  from  the  Gael 
and  from  the  Gall !  Wine,  and  cattle,  and  riches !  Fainted  books 
and  golden  vessels  from  the  King  of  Alban,  and  the  King  of 
Lochlann,  and  all  the  kings  of  the  western  world !  We  will 
have  to  widen  our  walls  to  store  the  whole  of  it. 

RuRY. — You  will ;  and   if  you   have  your  way,  Brennain,  you 

43 


will  have  to  widen  Ireland  to  hold  Kincora;  and  to  widen  the 
whole  world  to  hold  Ireland.  Age  makes  you  as  full  of  pride 
as  a  tree  is  of  branches. 

Derrick. — Golden  birds  among  the  branches 
And  another  in  the  hand; 
Keenings  not  used,  or  treachery 
In  the  tilled  familiar  land. 

Phelan. — Whatever  wits  poor  Derrick  ever  had  they  are  gone 
from  him  in  his  age. 

Derrick. — The  King  praised  that  song  a  while  ago.  He  said  it 
had  worked  itself  into  his  dreams.  He  had  a  dream  last  night • 

RuRY. — I  wonder  a  man  that  has  done  such  great  deeds  as 
Brian  would  give  any  heed  to  dreams. 

Derrick. — Don't  you  know  that  every  noticeable  thing  a  man 
does  is  but  the  certain  sign  of  the  going  and  coming  of  dreams? 
Wrack  thrown  upon  the  rocks  by  the  high  tide — leaves  heaped 
together  in  a  hollow  by  the  wind. 

Rury. — It  is  a  wisp  of  withered  leaves  your  own  thoughts  are, 
Derrick;  and  if  you  have  any  noticeable  thing  to  do,  you  had 
best  make  no  delay,  or  it  is  your  ghost  that  will  be  doing  it  in 
the  churchyard,  knocking  a  start  out  of  men  and  beasts. 

Brennain. — I  hear  some  voices  outside,  and  shouting.  It 
should  be  more  tribute  coming. 

Phelan. — More  likely  it  is  your  own  daughter  Maire.  I  passed 
her  upon  the  road  a  while  ago,  and  a  crowd  following  her  and 
talking  with  her. 

Brennain   (starting  up). — My  daughter  Maire! 

Phelan. — Your  daughter  Maire.  What  great  wonder  is  there 
in  that?  I  did  not  say  it  was  the  King  of  Greece  I  saw,  or  St. 
Martin  of  France  in  a  cloud  of  heaven. 

Rury  (to  Phelan). — Did  you  never  hear  his  daughter  Maire 
has  been  lost  to  him  this  long  time? 

(Maire  appears  in  the  doorway.) 

Maire. — I  am  come  back  to  you,  father. 

Brennain   (hobbling  across  to  meet  her). — Keep  back  there! 

44 


I  will  not  let  you  into  the  King's  hall  till  I  know  where  you 
spent  the  time! 

Maire. — It  was  well  spent.     I   went  a  long  way 

Brennain. — How  do  I  know  are  you  fit  to  come  into  the 
King's  house  at  all?  Wearing  all  your  jewels  that  would  buy 
half  the  cows  in  Kerry — dressed  out  like  the  rag-bush  of  a 
blessed    well ! 

Maire. — You  will  give  me  a  good  welcome  if  you  will  but 
listen — ^— 

Brennain. — I  am  thinking  it  is  stuck  in  the  mud  of  the  river 
you  were,  or  drifting  out  with  the  tide,  and  the  beasts  of  the 
sea  picking  at  you 

Maire.— Listen,  till  I  tell  you 

Brennain. — Leaving  me  without  one  to  will  my  little  riches 
to !     I  have  a  mind  to  turn  you  out  in  earnest. 

Maire. — You  will  be  proud.  Did  you  hear  the  people  shout- 
ing to  make  much  of  me? 

Brennain.— The  people!  What  do  I  care  for  the  shouting  of 
that  troop?  They  would  shout  to  see  a  river-rat  crossing  the 
highway!  It  is  what  the  king  thinks,  and  what  I  myself  think, 
that  matters. 

Maire.— Let  m<e  tell  what  I  have  to  tell 

Derrick. — Here  are  the  kings. 

(Brian,  Malachi  and  Gonnleith  come  in.) 

Brian. — What  is  all  this? 

Derrick. — It  is  Brennain's  daughter  come  back  to  him. 

Brian. — Is  Maire  come  back? 

Maire.— My  father  will  not  let  me  in,  High  King.  He  will 
not  listen  to  my  story. 

Brian. — Tell  your  story  to  me  and  to  the  Queen.  Sit  here 
beside  me,  Malachi. 

{They  sit  down.  Brian  puts  Malachi  at  his  right  hand.  Gorm- 
leith  sits  left  of  Brian.) 

Brennain. — That  is  too  much  honor  for  her. 

45 


KINCORA 

Maire  (coming  forward). — It  was  on  your  own  business  and 
to  bear  witness  for  you  I  went,  High  King. 

GoRMLEiTH  (scornfully). — How  could  you  bear  witness  for  the 
High  King? 

Maire. — There  used  to  be  talk  among  strangers  coming  here 
about  King  Brian  and  his  rule  and  his  great  sway,  that  had  put 
down  every  bad  thing. 

Malachi. — The  Danes  are  well'  put  down  anyway.  There  is 
no  one  in  all  Ireland  will  stoop  the  back  to  till  the  ground  or 
grind  a  quern,  but  all  putting  a  man  or  a  woman  of  the  Danes 
to  do  the  work  in  their  place. 

Brian. — I  wish  I  could  be  sure  the  provinces  have  as  little  stir 
in  them  as  the  Danes.     There  were  some  stories  of  robbery 

Maire. — That  is  what  they  said,  High  King.  They  said  it  was 
not  true  you  had  brought  all  Ireland  to  freedom  and  to  peace; 
and  I  said  it  was  true. 

GoRMLEiTH. — What  has  this  talk  to  do  with  your  journey? 

Maire. — They  dared  me,  then,  to  travel  through  the  whole 
country.  And  so  I  set  out  and  went  through  the  five  provinces 
— to  Toraigh  in  the  North,  and  from  that  again  to  Cliodhna's 
Wave  in  the  South,  alone,  and  having  this  great  treasure  with 
me.     (She  holds  up  arm-ring.) 

Brian. — Did  no  one  meddle  with  you? 

Maire. — No  one  at  all.  When  I  was  passing  through  Con- 
nacht,  there  were  young  men  riding  on  horses,  and  they  came  as 
if  to  take  me.  But  then  they  said :  'We  will  leave  her  free,  see- 
ing we  ourselves  are  free,  and  all  Ireland  is  free.' 

Brennain. — That  is  good.  That  is  good.  If  Connacht  is 
quiet,  all   Ireland  is  quiet. 

Maire. — W^hen  I  came  into  Ulster,  I  saw-  a  troop  of  rough  men, 
and  one  of  them  said :  Tt  is  no  harm  to  rob  this  girl  that  is  of 
the  province  of  Munster.'  But  another  man  of  them  said :  'Do 
not,  for  it  is  not  to  the  north  or  the  south  we  belong  now,  but 
to  the  whole  of  Ireland.'  And  so  I  came  safely  through  all,  and 
for  that,  King  Brian,  I  thank  God  and  you ! 

46 


KINCORA 

Brian  (rising). — That  is  a  great  thing  you  have  done,  and  a 
great  story  yon  have  brought  me.  Many  a  woman  has  sat  be- 
side a  king  through  her  Hfetime  and  has  done  less  than  this  to 
be  remembered  by.  (He  takes  her  hand  and  leads  her  to  Gorm- 
leith.)  What  great  reward,  Queen,  should  be  given  to  this  mes- 
senger of  peace? 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  have  rewarded  too  many  who  came  back  from 
your  battles  to  have  any  words  now.  Ask  those  who  keep  the 
King's  treasure  and  his  riches. 

Maire. — High  King,  I  give  you  back  your  ring.  It  was  for 
your  own  service  I  wore  it. 

Brian. — I  will  give  you  your  choice  of  rings  and  jewels  in  its 
place,  but  I  will  keep  this  one.  I  will  bid  the  goldsmiths  set  it 
in  a  shield  as  a  sign  of  unbroken  peace,  of  all  Ireland  at  one. 
Show  it  to  the  goldsmith,  Maire,  that  he  may  make  a  pattern 
for  the  shield.  (Maire  takes  it,  and  goes  out.)  See,  at  last,  at 
last,  I  can  put  away  my  sword.  (Hangs  up  sword  on  the  rack 
and  sits  down  again.)  This  great  new  peace  was  made  for  me 
beyond  the  world.  I  saw  it  all  in  a  dream  last  night.  I  saw  in 
my  dream  a  woman  coming  to  me  that  was  Aoibhell  of  the  Grey 
Rock.  She  came,  and  she  called  to  me,  and  swept  the  darkness 
away,  and  showed  me  the  whole  country,  shining  and  beautiful, 
an  image  of  the  face  of  God  in  the  smooth  sea.  All  bad  things 
had  gone  from  it  like  plover  to  the  north  at  the  strengthening 
of  the  sun.  The  rowan-berries  upon  Slieve  Echtge  were  the  last- 
ing fruits  of  heaven ;  I  could  hear  the  joyful  singing  of  the  birds 
of  the  Land  of  Promise.  The  Gael^had  grown  to  be  fitting  com- 
rades .for  the   white  angels. 

Malachi. — That  was  a  good  vision.  It  must  have  some  mean- 
ing. 

Brian. — It  went  from  me  then,  and  I  cried  out  after  it ;  but 
Aoibhell  said,  'It  is  only  at  Clontarf  you  will  come  again  to  that 
vision  and  to  that  lasting  peace.' 

Malachi. — Why  did  she  say  Clontarf,  I  wonder? 

Brian. — It  is  often   dreams  have   not   a   straight  meaning-,   or 

47 


waking  breaks  it.  It  is  here  at  Kincora  I  have  had  a  witness  to 
the  perfect  peace,  and  not  at  Clontarf.  (He  turns  to  Gorm- 
leith.)     Now  we  can  do  great  things  for  Ireland 

Malachi. — Yon  have  done  that  already.  Bridges  over  every 
river,  roads  through  every  bog,  churches  the  best  in  the  whole 
world. 

Brian. — The  churches  I  make  now  will  shine  like  the  candles 
of  a  king's  house.  The  whole  of  Ireland  will  be  a  silver-walled 
dun  of  the  angels. 

Brennain  {who  has  gone  to  the  zvindow). — The  men  of  the 
army  are  gathered  on  the  green  yet. 

Brian  {rises). — Come,  Malachi,  they  are  there  to  welcome 
you.  This  is  the  last  time  they  may  be  gathered  there.  The  old 
fighting  men  or  those  that  have  business  to  mind  or  children  to 
rear  may  go  home — there  is  no  more  work  for  them ;  I  will  break 
up  the  army. 

{Malachi,  followed  by  Brennain  and  Derrick,  goes  out  right. 
Gormleith  keeps  back  Brian.) 

GoRMLEiTH. — You  are  not  going  to  break  up  the  army? 

Brian. — ^There  is  no  work  for  them  in  Ireland.  They  are  all 
free  to  put  roofs  on  their  houses  again,  and  turn  back  the  wild 
fields  to  apple-gardens. 

Gormleith. — That  is  no  work  for  you  to  put  your  hand  to! 
I  came  here  to  see  you  make  your  name  the  greatest  in  the  world 
— the  greatest  that   ever  was   in  the  world. 

Brian. — I  thought  to  do  that  once,  but  age  has  come  upon  me. 
I  am  satisfied  to  do  the  wide,  lasting  works  of  age. 

Gormleith. — We  of  the  high  race  need  never  give  in  to  age! 
Our  fathers  mated  with  the  gods,  and  took  immortal  wives !  Do 
not  give  in  to  it,  Brian ;  age  is  ugly  and  miserable,  withering  the 
hand  that  has  given  up  the  sword !  Come  out  looking  for  strong 
men  holding  walled  islands — islands  with  strange  laughing 
armies — armies  of  tall,  unconquered  men.  {Brian  shakes  his 
head,  and  putiS  her  from  him.)  Bring  out,  then,  the  Cross  you 
boast   of !     Carry  it   to  the   gardens  of  the  east  of  the   world ! 


Strike  at  the  people  of  the  old  gods.  Try  its  strength  against 
those  you  call  the  false  gods.  I  will  go  with  you.  I  will  be 
obedient  to  you — my  pride  will  be  in  you — do  not  keep  me  in 
the  narrow  roads ! 

Brian  (taking  her  hand  from  his  arm,  and  touching  her  hair 
with  hi^  other  hand). — Have  I  and  time  not  quieted  this  whirling 
heart?  Make  yourself  ready  for  the  feast  by-and-by ;  put  on 
your  silks  and  your  jewels ;  your  eyes  are  shining — you  will  shine 
out  at  the  feast. 

(Gonnleith  lets  him  go,  and  turns  away.  He  goes  out.  Maire 
comes  hack  and  lays  ring  on  table.) 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  tried  to  waken  him,  but  he  is  in  his  sleep.  The 
sleep  of  age  has  come  upon  him.  I  have  done  with  Kincora! 
The  people  of  Ireland  have  surely  lost  their  wits. — My  brother 
carrying  wood !  Brian  breaking  up  his  army,  building  churches 
and  bell-towers,  sending  his  ships  searching  for  books  and  parch- 
ments !  You,  Maire,  leaving  the  feasts  and  the  songs,  and  the 
troops  of  fighting-men,  to  go  wandering  like  a  strayed  heifer, 
hurrying  from  road  to  road,  through  the  whole  country — wast- 
ing your  young  days  in  foolishness. 

Maire. — The  king  praised  me  for  bringing  news  of  peace.  I 
am  well  satisfied  to  have  made  the  journey  for  King  Brian. 

GoRMLETH. — Satisfied!  It  is  a  strange  thing  to  get  satisfac- 
tion from  a  journey  like  that.  When  I  was  your  age  I  would 
have  thought  it  a  shameful  journey  to  have  made!  I  would  have 
thought  it  a  poor,  and  a  weak,  and  a  shameful  country  that  I 
could  ride  through  without  leaving  fire  in  the  hearts  of  those 
that  met  me,  and  red  steel  in  their  hands,  and  the  seed  of  a 
war  in  every  province. 

Maire. — O  Queen,  that  is  a  terrible  thing  to  say ! 

GoRMLEiTH. — The  heart  is  gone  out  from  the  young  men  of 
Ireland,  and  the  blood  from  their  bodies,  and  the  daring  from 
their  lips,  with  their  talk  of  peace  and  of  learning.  There  is  no 
praise  now  but  for  foolish  messengers,  and  for  monks  and  for 
saints — old,    Vvhite-haired   saints,    with  psalms   and    with   fasting. 

49 


I  am  sick  of  this  country  of  bells  and  churches — little  walled-in 
churches.  My  churches  are  the  hill-tops,  blazing  at  the  coming  of 
the  sun,  the  plains  flaming  with  fire  through  the  night-time.  I 
am  for  the  gods  that  head  great  armies !  (Sitric  and  Maelmora 
come  in.)  Go,  girl,  and  serve  the  King  of  Leinster's  woodcut- 
ters, as  is  the  fashion !  Take  down  the  spears  that  are  rusting  in 
the  racks !  Put  up  the  saws  and  the  hatchets  in  their  places ! 
(Maire  goes  out  frightened.)  Are  you  back  again,  Maelmora? 
Why  are  you  not  splitting  wood  with  the  kitchen  clowns? 

Maelmora. — This  is  a  good  welcome  I  am  getting  in  Kincora. 
Insults  from  you,  and  insults  from  Murrough. 

GoRMLEiTH. — What  did  you  do  to  anger  your  master's  son? 

Sitric. — He  was  watching  Murrough  at  the  chess,  and  he  gave 
an  advice,  and  Murrough  took  it,  and  lost  the  game,  and  that 
angered  him. 

Maelmora. — I  would  not  stop  to  listen  to  what  he  said.  He 
had  no  right  to  say  words  of  insult. 

GoRMLEiTH. — No  woudcr  he  said  them.  Age  is  coming  on 
you — age  and  sleep,  and  a  coward's  heart.  It  is  certain  you  and 
Ireland  were  never  under  bonds  till  now. 

Sitric. — I  think  you  will  sign  these  letters  now.  Queen,  that 
you  would  not  sign  a  while  ago. 

Gormleith. — Give  them  here  to  me !  I  will  put  my  name  to 
them.      {Takes  letters.) 

Maelmora. — What  is  it  you  are  doing,  Gormleith? 

Gormleith. — I  will  tell  you  that.  I  am  breaking  away  from 
Brian.     I  am  breaking  Brian's  peace. 

Maelmora. — You  would  not  do  that — you,  his  wife  ! 

Gormleith. — It  was  to  a  great  fighting  man  I  came  as  a  wife — 
not  to  a  builder  of  bell-towers  and  altars. 

Sitric. — Here  is  the  pen. 

Gormleith. — No,  no;  I  cannot  sign.  Brian  is  the  bravest  of 
the  men  I  came  to.  A  while  ago,  when  I  saw  him  here  with 
Malachi — Malachi,  that   is  to  him  as  clay  to  crystal — I  thought 

50 


to  waken  him ;  to  save  him  from  sleep ;  to  keep  the  armies ;  to 
give  him  the  headship  of  the  world.     I  might  do  it  yet — 

SiTRic. — Sign  the  letters ;    there  is  no  time  to  lose. 

Maelmora. — This  is  treachery.     I  will  go  and  call  to  Brian! 

Gormle/th. — Call  him  if  you  will.  He  will  not  forgive  us. 
Does  it  matter?     Death  is  an  easy  thing. 

SiTRic  (taking  up  ring). — Are  you,  too,  bound  in  this  ring  of 
peace  ? 

GoRMLEiTH. — That  ring !  I  was  forgetting  it !  I  will  sign  the 
letters — and  here.  (Signs  the  letters.  Sitric  takes  them  up.) 
Brian  is  old !  All  the  people  of  Kincora  are  old,  or  rusting,  or 
in  their  sleep.  Let  them  make  much  of  the  linnet  in  the  cage; 
the  hawk  will  leave  them  for  the  free  air !  I  will  not  stay  in  this 
place  of  saints  and  of  traders.     (She  gets  up.) 

Maelmora. — Where  are  you  going? 

GoRMLEiTH. — I  am  going  to  Clontarf,  to  give  my  help  to  the 
armies  of  the  Gall  that  are  on  the  sea  now,  coming  to  Ireland ! 

Maelmora. — You  will  not  do  that !  I  will  hold  you  here !  I 
will  never  let  my  sister  be  a  traitor  in  the  King's  house ! 

GoRMLEiTH. — Be  a  king,  Maelmora,  and  no  man's  servant! 
You,  yourself,  and  Sitric  would  keep  Ireland  against  the  whole 
world.  (Maelmora  breaks  away.)  Go,  then,  and  humble  your- 
self before  Brian,  and  before  his  son — let  the  son  of  the  Connacht 
woman  put  loads  on  your  son. 

(Murrough  comes  in.  Sitric  goes  quickly  out,  hiding  the  let- 
ters. ) 

Murrough. — Are  you  giving  advice  to  the  Queen,  Maelmora, 
as  you  gave  it  to  me  a  while  ago?  I  am  ashamed  that  you 
vexed  me  then,  but  she  seems  twenty  times  more  vexed. 

Maelmora. — It  is  the  Queen  that  is  giving  advice  to  me — it 
may  be  better  for  you  if  I  do  not  take  it. 

Murrough. — I  have  no  skill  in  riddles — but  if  there  is  some 
threat  in  your  voice,  I  will  answer  it. 

Maelmora. — Take  care  what  you  say.  Your  father's  name 
will  not  save  you,  as  it  did  when  you  spoke  a  while  ago. 

51 


GoRMLEiTH  (to  MufTOugh). — What  was  it  you  said? 

MuRROUGH. — I  said  the  King  of  Leinster  was  well  able  to  give 
advice.  I  said  it  was  good  advice  he  gave  his  comrades,  the 
Danes,  the  day  they  ran  from  us  like  scared  sheep  at  Glenmama ! 

Maelmora  (to  Murroiigh). — It  may  happen  to  us  yet  to  meet 
in  another  battle,  where  it  is  not  m.y  men,  but  your  own  men 
that  will  run  like  scared  sheep ! 

MuRROUGH. — When  that  battle  is  coming,  King,  see  there  is 
a  good  yew  tree  near  the  battlefield,  where  you  can  hide  yourself 
while  your  army  is  running,  as  you  hid  yourself  at  Glenmama ! 

Maelmora  (half  drazving  szaord). — I  will  not  shed  blood  here 
— my  answer  will  be  in  the  battle. 

MuRROUGH. — That  battle  will  not  be  sooner  than  I  wish  it ! 

Maelmora. — It  will  be  sooner  than  you  think!  I  am  going  to 
it  now.     (He  goes  tozvards  door.) 

MuRROUGH. — That  is  great  news !  But  it  is  not  true.  Our 
enemies  only  plot  and  plan  now ;  they  do  not  come  into  open 
fight. 

Maelmora. — You  cannot  say  that  again.  They  are  coming  out 
now  into  open  fight. 

Murrough. — From  their  hiding-places?  No,  they  will  be 
afraid. 

Maelmora. — Those  that  are  coming  against  you  now  will  not 
run  from  you !  The  great  armies  of  the  Gall  are  coming  against 
you  this  time.  They  will  sweep  you  and  your  house  out  of 
Ireland  before  them !  They  are  on  the  sea  now,  coming  to  Clon- 
tarf! 

MuRROGH. — That  is  idle  talk.  They  would  have  a  rough  land- 
ing. Sitric  would  bring  his  men  from  Ath  Cliath — Sitric!  He 
has  gone  out !  Brian  should  have  struck  the  head  off  that  sullen 
Dane. 

Gormleith. — Sitric  is  young;  he  has  not  lost  his  courage  with 
age,  or  with  idleness.  His  heart  is  the  highest — he  will  master 
you;    he  will  master  Ireland!     It  is  to  help  him  I  have  called 

52 


in  the  Gall.     The  old  have  had  their  time;    it   is  for  you   and 
Sitric  now  to  play  the  game. 

Maelmora. — This  is  no  place  for  us  now.  It  is  time  for  us  to 
be  gone. 

(Turns  to  door,  and  holds  out  his  hand  to  GormleitJi.) 

MuRROUGH  (drawing  his  sword,  and  putting  his  arm  across 
door.)  Treachery!  Treachery  to  the  King!  Here  to  nie, 
friends  of  the  King ! 

GoRMLEiTH. — There  is  no  need  of  your  sword.  I  would  not 
leave  this  house  secretly. 

(Brian,  Malachi  and  servants  come  in.) 

Brian. — What  is  this  cry  of  treachery  in  my  house? 

MuRROUGH. — The  armies  of  the  Gall  are  on  their  way  to  Ire- 
land. There  are  rebels  to  welcome  them.  Sitric  is  rising  up 
against  you.     It  is  from  your  own  house  the  word  has  been  sent. 

Brian. — I  would  take  no  man's  word  for  that. 
•  MuRROUGH. — The  traitors  are  here,  before  you. 

Brian  (to  Maelmora). — Have  you  taken  part  in  this  treach- 
ery?    (Maelmora  is  silent.) 

Murrough. — Maelmora  is  in  it — but — this  is  a  hard  thing  for 
you  to  hear.     It  is  your  own  wife  that  has  stirred  it  up. 

Brian. — Let  me  hear  no  word  of  wife  or  kindred.  You  are 
speaking  to  the  High  King  of  Ireland. 

Murrough. — Give  them  the  wages  of  their  work.  My  work  is 
to  make  ready  to  meet  the  Dane.     (He  goes  out.) 

Brian. — Queen  Gormleith,  you  hear  what  he  has  said.  Give 
your  answer. 

Gormleith. — What  have  I  to  say?     Murrough  has  said  it. 

Brian. — It  is  not  true.     You  are  trying  to  screen  Sitric — 

Gormleith. — What  Murrough  has  told  you  is  true.  Is  it  all 
my  fault?  You  could  have  stopped  me — I  bade  you  go  out  and 
conquer  the  world.  You  would  not — you  have  listened  to  the 
monks  too  long  for  that — it  was  a  pity.  Here,  you  may  save  your 
peace  yet ;    the  armies  may  be  turned  back.     I  hold  out  my  hands 

53 


to  you — I  bid  you  bind  them ;    call  for  your  men — let  them  bind 
me  and  put  me  to  death ! 

Brian. — Go !  I  do  not  make  war  upon  women,  but  upon 
armies. 

GoRMLEiTH. — You  do  not  understand — there  are  great  hosts 
coming,  the  hosts  of  the  Black  Lochlannachs  and  of  the  White 
Lochlannachs,  the  men  of  Leodus  and  of  Skye,  and  the  trading 
men  of  the  Bretons,  and  a  thousand  of  the  best  fighters  of  the 
Black  Danes — they  look  to  me  to  welcome  them — they  may  turn 
back  if  I  am  not  there — 

Brian. — It  is  folly  to  think  your  life  or  death  could  change 
the  course  of  such  a  host! 

Malachi. — Great  God  of  heaven !  Ireland  has  never  faced 
such  a  danger ! 

GoRMLEiTH. — Listen  to  him,  Brian !  He  will  tell  you  how  to 
deal  with  me. 

Malachi. — King,  take  her  at  her  word;  put  her  to  death.  I 
no  longer  speak  in  anger.  I  do  not  know  who  this  woman  is, 
v.hether  she  is  of  mortal  birth,  or  outside  the  race  of  men — but 
this  I  do  know,  that  while  she  is  living  there  can  be  no  peace  in 
the  world. 

(Brian  points  to  the  door.) 

GoRMLEiTH. — If  it  is  some  affection  for  me  that  keeps  you  from 
taking  my  life,  put  it  out  of  your  heart.  You  will  not  take  me 
at  my  word,  High  King?  I  will  tell  you  all  the  truth.  Brodar, 
of  Mananaan's  Island,  would  not  come  against  you  unless  I 
promised  him  my  love,  and  I  promised  it.  Sigurd,  Earl  of 
Orkney,  asked  the  same  promise,  and  I  gave  it  (laughs).  I  will 
not  stay  and  die.  I  will  go  out  to  meet  them.  I  would  not  for 
the  wealth  of  the  world  miss  being  there  when  Brodar  finds 
out — when  Sigurd  finds  out — that  I  have  promised  myself  to 
each  of  them.  Ah !  how  their  eyes  will  glitter !  How  their 
hands  will  clutch  at  the  sword  hilt.  (Puts  hand  on  his  shoul- 
der.) King,  am  I  not  a  right  wife  to  show  mercy  to!  A  right 
wife !     Yet  it  is  for  me  men  break  the  peace  of  the  world.     (He 

54 


KIN  CORA 

turns  away.)  You  were  asleep;  I  tried  to  waken  you.  You 
chose  to  stay  in  your  sleep.  (She  goes  to  door;  signs  to  Mael- 
mora  to  go  out.)  You  have  chosen  it,  King.  You  have  chosen 
it;  not  I,  not  I.  It  is  you  have  chosen  it.  (She  goes  out,  and 
her  voice  is  heard  in  a  shriek.)  He  has  chosen  it!  He  has 
chosen  it ! 

Brian. — It  is  I  myself  have  betrayed  my  people.  The  blame 
is  on  me.  (H^  half  kneels  at  table,  covering  his  face  with  his 
hands.)  War,  war,  keening  and  treachery.  Ireland  red  again. 
Red  and  stained  through  and  through.     Blood !   blood !   and  war ! 

Malachi. — Have  your  orders  ready  for  the  army,  Brian. 

Brian. — Is  all  ready  for  the  Queen's  journey?  Give  her  the 
horses  from  lar  Connacht — 

Malachi. — Listen  to  what  I  say.     We  must  send  messengers. 

Brian. — The  speckled  horses — she  liked  them  best;  and  the 
carved  chariot  from  the  north. 

Malachi. — Listen,  Brian.  (Puts  his  hand  on  Brian's  shoul- 
der.) 

Brian. — But  who  was  it — who  was  it  that  called  in  the  Gall? 

Malachi. — I  cannot  rouse  him.  No  wonder.  That  treachery 
was  too  hard  a  blow. 

(Murrough  comes  in  with  standard  in  h)flnd,  and  stands  on 
threshold.  Spears  and  banners  appear  at  window.  War  march 
is  played.) 

Brian. — But  what  did  she  mean?  What  did  Aoibhell  of  the 
Sidhe  mean?  She  promised  me  lasting  peace — lasting  peace — 
lasting  peace.  She  told  it  to  me  in  my  dream.  (He  gets  up, 
and  lijalks  up  and  doivn.)  What  did  she  mean?  Is  there  no 
truth?  Is  everyone  treacherous?  (He  comes  face  to  face  with 
Murrough,  and  stands  still.) 

Murrough. — The  army  is  ready.     We  must  lead  it  to  Clontarf. 

Brian  (standing  very  strong  and  straight.)  Clontarf!  Now  I 
know  what  Aoibhell  meant !  She  said  it  was  at  Clontarf  I 
should  find  peace.  That  is  well.  My  place  is  ready  in  the  long 
procession.     Cathal,  son  of  Aedh ;   Core,  son  of  Anluan ;    Lorcan, 

55 


son  of  Luchta ;  Mahon,  son  of  Cennedigh ;  all  the  race  of 
Lugaidh  reigned  in  this  place,  and  went  out  of  this  door  for 
the  last  time,  and  the  traitors  that  betrayed  them,  and  the 
women  they  loved.  Give  me  my  sword.  (Malachi  takes  it  down 
and  gives  it  to  him.)     It  has  another  battle  to  win. 

Scene  2 — A  wood  at  Clontarf.  Gormleith,  Brodar,  Sitric,  and 
another  Dane  crossing  to  right  as  if  in  retreat. 

Sitric. — Come  this  way,  Brodar.  We  must  put  courage  into 
the  men  of  Ath  Cliath !  The  men  of  Connacht  have  driven  them 
back  from  the  ridge. 

Brodar. — The  heart  has  gone  out  of  them  since  Maelmora 
was  killed. 

Dane. — Murrough  and  his  Dalcassians  are  close  upon  us.  We 
cannot  face  them  till  we  get  the  help  of  what  are  left  of  our 
own  men. 

Sitric. — Come,  Queen,  and  call  to  the  men  of  Leinster.  It  is 
for  you  to  take  Maelmora's  place. 

Gormleith. — I  will  stay  while  I  have  a  spear  left  to  cast  at 
some  foolhardy  enemy  that  is  breaking  through  the  wood.  Go 
to  his  heart,  swift  messenger,  beak  of  eagle,  teeth  of  wolf. 
{Throws  a  spear.)  Search  out  his  secrets!  Let  out  his  rage! 
Sure  love-token,  bring  him  to  my  feet.  {Throws  another.) 
Darken  his  eyes  !     Whiten  his  face !     Redden  the  grass  ! 

Brodar. — Come  on  to  our  men.     We  may  save  the  day  yet. 

Sitric. — The  Danes  will  not  fail  us.  They  will  gather  to  us. 
We  will  sweep  away  Murrough  and  his  men. 

Gormleith  {throwing  another  spear). — My  grief!  that  is  the 
last  of  my  spears.     Go,  good  messenger,  do  my  bidding. 

{They  go  out.  Enter  Murrough.  He  staggens  and  sinks  on 
one  knee.) 

Murrough. — Ah!  these  wounds!  I  did  not  know  they  had 
gone  so  deep !  Come  to  me,  men  of  Kincora !  Have  I  outrun 
you  all? 

•      56 


KINCORA 

(Sinks  down,  with  head  on  elbow,  and  lies  quiet  for  a  moment. 
Aoibhell  appears.) 

AoiBHELL. — I  am  come  to  your  help,  Murrough,  son  of  Brian. 
I  will  give  you  healing  from  the  well  of  healing  that  is  in  the 
hidden  places  of  the  Sidhe. 

Murrough  {looks  up). — Who  is  there?  Who  is  speaking?  Is 
that  another  of  the  enemies  of  the  King? 

Aoibhell, — No  enemy,  Murrough,  but  a  friend  to  you  and 
to  your  race.  I  am  Aoibhell  of  the  Grey  Rock.  It  is  long  I 
have  watched  over  Kincora.  I  have  watched  over  you.  I  have 
come  to  befriend  you. 

Murrough. — Call  to  my  men.  They  will  help  me.  I  must 
get  on  to  the  battle.  I  must  drive  the  Gall  to  the  sea — into  the 
sea.  Brodar  must  npt  escape  me.  Brodar  and  his  m^iit— {Strug- 
gles to  rise,  but  groans  and  falls  again.) 

Aoibhell. — Quit  the  battle  at  my  asking,  Murrough,  son  of 
Brian,  or  your  proud  blood  will  be  on  the  ground  before  to- 
morrow. 

Murrough. — I  will  not  do  that,  Aoibhell  of  the  Grey  Rock; 
and  I  will  tell  you  a  little  true  story,  that  fear  for  my  own  life 
will  never  make  me  turn  my  face.  And  if  I  fall,  the  Gall  will 
fall  with  me ;  and  many  a  man  will  fall  by  my  own  hand,  and 
their  strong  places  will  be  divided  by  the  Gael. 

Aoibhell. — I,  who  know  hidden  things,  know  you  must  falJ 
this  day  unless  you  come  with  me  now  to  the  happy  country  of 
all  delights.  And,  indeed,  Murrough,  it  is  soon  for  you  to  die; 
and  it  is  little  time  you  have  had  for  joy  or  for  pleasure;  your 
young  youth  worn  away  between  the  hard  will  of  these  great 
ones,  the  stirrings  and  strivings  of  the  war-woman  and  the  state- 
craft of  the  man  of  peace.  Come  with  me  now,  and  I  will  show 
you  joys  you  have  never  known.  I  will  give  you  the  never-end- 
ing, never-lessening  life. 

Murrough. — It  is  often  before  now  I  was  offered  that  life  and 
these  gifts,  in  the  hills  and  in  houses  of  the  Sidhe;  but  I  never 
gave  up  for  one  night  my  country  or  my  inheritance  for  them. 

57 


AoiBHELL. — No  wasting  will  come  upon  you.  Sweet  music, 
playing  and  drinking,  beauty,  riches,  love  and  power;  they  are 
waiting  for  you  in  the  Country  of  the  Young. 

MuRROUGH. — No  wasting ;  no  weakness ;  no  withering  of 
strength.     There  is  weakness  coming  on  me  now. 

AoiBHELL. — You  have  had  so  little.  Do  not  lose  all  for  the 
sake  of  one  hour ;    of  a  few  blows  in  the  battle. 

MuRROUGH. — A  few  blows  in  the  battle — a  few  blows  (rousing 
himself)  ;  a  few  blows  upon  the  enemies  of  Ireland !  Ah !  that 
is  life.  That  is  the  life  I  want !  Not  the  sluggish  life ;  the 
feasting  and  the  drinking;  the  love  of  soft  hands  and  yellow 
hair;  the  sleepy  songs  and  the  pillows.  (Struggles  to  his  knees, 
and  holds  up  hilt  of  his  sword.)  That  is  not  the  peace  Brian 
fought  for !  That  is  not  a  life  for  a  Christianed  man !  Go  out ! 
go  out  from  me,  tempter ! 

(Aoibhell  disappearis.    Enter  Brennain  and  Rury.) 

Brennain. — The  Dalcassians  are  at  the  edge  of  the  wood. 
They  have  put  down  the  Leinster  men.  The  Danes  are  running 
to  the  sea  like  cattle  in  the  heats  of  summer. 

Rury. — You  would  never  think  them  to  be  fighting-men  in  the 
sharp  wind  of  the  Day  of  the  Crucifixion. 

Brennain. — The  King  sent  word  of  you.  Oh !  you  are  wounded. 
(Kneels  and  looks  at  wounds.) 

MuRROUGH. — Bind  up  the  wounds.  I  must  go  to  the  battle.  A 
demon  has  been  here  in  this  place  tempting  me.  Out  with  them ! 
out  with  them !  It  is  time  to  have  done  with  those  witches  of 
the  air;  some  stirring  up  by  their  mischief  the  wars  that  should 
be  the  scourge  of  God;  some  calling  us  to  the  sluggish  beds  and 
the  drinking-house !  Out  with  you  !  Out  with  you  all !  (Raises 
himself  with  Brennain' s  help.)  And  if  I  must  die  this  day,  I 
have  not  had  my  fill  of  fighting;  and  I  pray  God  and  St.  Michael 
I  may  cast  my  spear  yet  at  your  vain  whirling  hosts  from  the 
ranks  of  the  angels!  (A  wail  heard  from  where  Aoibhell  has 
disappeared.)     Out  with  all  heathen  things  in  the  world  or  out 

S8 


KINCORA 

of  it !     Out  I  say,  out  I  say  with  every  heathen  thing !     (Rushes 
out.) 

Scene  3 — Before  Brian's  tent.    Brian,  Brennain  and  Maire. 

Brian  {coming  out  of  tent).  Have  the  Danes  made  any  stand, 
or  are  they  still  making  for  the  sea? 

Brennain. — There  are  none  standing,  unless  those  that  have 
reached  the  sea.  They  must  stand,  for  the  tide  has  taken  their 
ships  from  them. 

Brian. — Is  Malachi  safe? 

Brennain. — Safe  and  well.  He  has  a  strong  ditch  between 
him  and  the  Gall.  There  is  no  fear  for  Malachi.  He  will  out- 
last the  battle. 

Brian. — He  will  outlast  us  all.  That  was  in  the  prophecy. 
He  will  outlast  us  all. 

Brennain. — O'Hynes  and  the  men  of  Connacht  are  doing  great 
deeds.     There  are  no  traitors  among  us  but  the  men  of  Meath. 

Brian. — Can  you  see  Murrough's  banner? 

Maire. — I  see  it  well.  It  has  gone  through  the  battle  west- 
ward. It  is  standing  yet;  but  the  armies  of  the  Danes,  where 
it  passed,  are  like  a  wood  struck  by  the  storm. 

Brian. — I  think  I  see  it.  They  are  giving  way  before  him  on 
every  side.  The  victory  is  won.  The  battle  is  won.  Peace  at 
last !     I  leave  the  sod  of  Ireland  free  of  the  Gall. 

Maire. — I  will  go  with  this  milk  to  the  wounded  men.     {Exit.) 

Brian. — Go,  Brennain,  and  call  to  Murrough,  Bid  him  to 
come  back  to  me,  now  his  work  is  done.  I  would  speak  with  him 
again.  I  thought  this  day  would  have  parted  us ;  but  it  has  been 
shown  to  me  that  we  two  will  sleep  in  the  one  bed  to-night. 
{Brennain  goes  out.)  I  will  give  thanks  to  God.  Laus  Deus. 
{He  raises  curtain  of  tent  and  goes  in,  letting  it  fall  behind  him. 
His  voice  heard  repeating  Latin  psalm. 

Enter  Brodar  and  a  Dane. 

Dane  {looking  hack). — Run,  Brodar,  run.  The  men  of  Con- 
nacht are  close  upon  us.     Let  us  get  to  the  shelter  of  the  wood. 

59 


KINCORA 

Brodar  (turning  back  as  he  goes). — There  is  some  priest  in 
this  tent  praying  against  us.  I  will  silence  him.  (Goes  into  tent. 
Comes  out,  wiping  szvord  on  curtain  of  tent.)  These  priests 
that  war  with  words  must  be  answered  with  steel. 

Dane. — We  have  outrun  the  Queen. 

Brodar. — She  had  best  not  wait  for  her  son's  burying  (Enter 
Gormleith.)  Faster,  Queen.  There  will  be  little  mercy  for  you 
this  time,  if  you  are  taken  to  Kincora. 

Gormleith. — Who  is  there? 

Brodar. — Some  prating  bishop.  I  have  made  an  end  of  his 
mutterings. 

Gormleith. — It  is  Brian's  shield.  (Looks  in.)  Oh!  it  is  the 
king.     You  have  killed  King  Brian. 

Dane. — That  was  a  good  chance.     It  makes  up  for  great  losses. 

(Shouts  heard.) 

Brodar. — They  are  gaining  on  us.     Come,  Queen. 

Gormleith  (going  into  tent). — I  will  not  leave  him  like  that. 
(Turns  hack.)  No!  No!  No  traitor's  hand  must  touch  him. 
Brodar,  you  were  his  enemy,  but  you  were  not  a  traitor.  Lay 
him  straight.     Set  his  feet  together,  aS  befits  a  king. 

(Brodar  and  Dane  go  in,  and  come  out,  drawing  hack  curtain. 
Brian  is  seen  laid  out  on  a  hed.) 

Gormleith. — You  gave  me  a  great  bride-gift,  Brian.  Have  I 
not  given  you  a  great  gift  for  it?  I  have  brought  to  every  man 
I  came  to  war  and  stirring  of  blood,  but  I  brought  this  best  gift 
to  you.  I  did  not  leave  you  to  die  as  a  beast  dies,  sick  and  dumb 
in  the  darkness.  I  gave  you  the  death  of  the  great  men  in  the 
high  sounds  of  a  battle. 

(Shouts  heard  nearer.) 

Brodar  (seizing  her) . — Come  !  come  !     They  are  overtaking  us. 

Gormleith. — Oh!  I  will  come;  I  will  come.  From  this  time 
out  I  must  go  from  country  to  country,  driven  by  rough  winds 
over  rough  seas;  driven  from  place  to  place,  with  beaten  men. 
(They  drag  her  away;  she  turns  as  she  goes  out.)  My  thousand 
farewells  to  you,  Brian  of  the  victories ! 

60 


(As  they  go,  a  sound  of  keening  is  heard.  Enter  Maire,  Bren- 
nain,  and  Derrick,  carrying  Murrough's  shield  and  banner,) 

Maire. — Oh !  who  is  to  tell  King  Brian  that  Murrough  is  cut 
down — the  blossomed  branch  ! 

Brennain. — My  grief !  Whoever  tells  him  that  will  have  killed 
his  peace  forever. 

{Maire  goes  to  tent;  looks  in;  turns  to  them,  crossing  her 
hands  on  her  breast.) 

Maire. — Give  great  praise  to  God.  The  lasting  peace  of  Brian 
is  unbroken. 

Curtain 


6i 


'^DS 


nm 


